Buried
by TwistedRocketPower
Summary: Buried Alive. When he's ready to end it all is his choice. Can the team save him from the physical and emotional damage, or will he end his life before they even have the chance?
1. Where's Tim?

He rolled the tiny piece of paper into a ball, stuck the straw in his mouth, and with one blow it flew across the room.

"Tony! If you do that to me again I will not hesitate to come over there and kill you where you sit!" Ziva exclaimed.

"Meow! Is our little tiger getting upset?"

"Do not compare me to a character from Winnie the Poop."

Tony's eyebrows furrowed, "First of all, it's Winnie the _Pooh_, not poop. And, second, I didn't compare you to anything from that show. Tigger is from Winnie… Do you not know what a tiger is, Ziva?"

She glared at him, "Of course I do, Tony. You are just confusing me with all the spitballs you keep shooting at me."

"Spit wads."

"Whatever!"

Abby walked into the bullpen, "Hey guys, what's up?"

"Tony is being a butthead!"

"No, I'm not!" Tony defended, he looked at Abby, "She lacks a sense of humor."

"You soon will be lacking _many things_ if you do not stop acting so childish."

"Okay," Abby interrupted the cat fight. She looked at the two empty desks that she was standing in-between, "Where is Gibbs and Timmy?"

"Gibbs is with Vance," Tony answered, "And Tim hasn't gotten here yet."

"Timmy? Tim's never late. He's always early."

""I wouldn't worry too much, Abbs," Tony smiled, "Our little McNugget had a date last night."

"Really?" Abby replied curiously, "Who with?"

"Well… he wouldn't tell me."

"He did not even say that he was going on a date, did he, Tony?" Ziva questioned.

"Not in so many words."

Abby rolled her eyes.

"But," Tony continued, "He did tell me he had plans."

"How did you get _a date_ out of that?" Abby asked, but she didn't wait for the answer, "Tim should be here. He wouldn't just over sleep or something like that."

"I will try calling him," Ziva said as she picked up her phone.

Tom Jennings, an agent who had a desk right by Ziva, on the other side of the bullpen, came walking up to Abby, "Hey, Abby."

"Hi, Tom. How are you?" She asked as a way to get her mind off of Tim until he answered his phone.

"Good, thanks," He handed her an envelope, "This was on my desk this morning, it's addressed to you. I was about to take it down to you when I saw you here."

"Oh, thanks."

"No problem. Have a good day."

"You too."

Tom walked off just as Ziva hung up the phone, "He does not answer his house or cell."

"Hinky," Abby said, not hearing what Ziva had just told her.

"What?"

"There's no return address."

Tony got up and began walking over to her, "You probably shouldn't…" Abby opened the envelope, "Open that."

Abby ignored him, "Hm. It's just a web address."

"Who could it be from?" Ziva asked.

"I don't know… but, best guess, it's from Joey. He's having a party in a few weeks and he said his invitations were going to be some weird, random thing that no one has ever done before."

"Who is Joey?"

"He's a friend of mine that I met at a 'Ear Shattering' concert two years ago."

Tony glanced at Ziva, "That sounds… interesting."

"Oh, it was," Abby agreed with a nod. She walked over to Tim's desk and sat down.

"Put it on the plasma," Tony said.

Ziva looked at him strangely.

"What? I want to see the weird, random thing that no one has ever done before."

Ziva shook her head and sighed, but stood up and walked over to the plasma. She, too, was curious.

Abby typed in the address, "Now, what if this is something personal and only I-" She stopped as a blank screen came up. Then, in a bold, white color, a time clock appeared in the middle of the screen with '15:00' on it. "What is this?"

Ziva shrugged, "A weird, random thing?"

The time clock got smaller and moved to the bottom, right corner of the screen. Then, a frightening image appeared.

Abby gasped, "Oh my God!"

There was Tim, lying in some kind of box or coffin, unconscious.

The clock began to count down: _14:59 14:58 14:57 14:56 14:55_

* * *

**Short first chapter, but no worries, they won't all be this small.**

**This is quite a bit different from my last story, but I'm hoping it will be just as much enjoyed as the other one was :)**

**Please review and let me know what you think about it so far. Is it a keeper, or a toss in the trash?**


	2. As Time Goes By

Tony and Ziva were speechless.

"Wh… Whe- where is he?" Abby asked as she began to shake.

"I- I will get Gibbs," Ziva said, finally finding her voice. She stared at the screen as she hurried off, until she could no longer see it.

"Wh- what are we supposed to do? Why is there a time clock? Tony! Answer me!"

"I don't know, Abby!" Tony exclaimed. He took a deep breath, "I- Maybe that's how long we have…" His voice trailed off, not wanting to finish.

Abby stood up and walked over to Tony, "Have to what? Have to find him? We have less than fifteen minutes to find Tim? Then what? He dies? What if we have to watch him die? What can we possibly do in fifteen minutes?"

"Stop it!" Tony yelled, obviously annoyed by all the questions as he tried to think. He looked in her tear filled eyes, "I'm sorry, Abby, I just… I don't know. I don't know."

Gibbs exited Vance's office and began running down the stairs, Ziva following closely behind.

"What happened?" Gibbs asked as he entered the bullpen. He looked at the plasma, "Oh God," He said, not being able to hide his shock. Ziva had not been able to tell him what was going on, all she got out was "Something bad has happened" and Gibbs was out the door. "Did this just come on the screen?"

No one replied, their eyes all glued to Tim.

"I said, did this just come on the screen!"

"No," Abby said, snapping out of her trance, "I got a envelope with a piece of paper inside, it had the web address on it. When… when I typed it in, t-this came up. What do you think the countdown is for, Gibbs?"

"I don't know."

"Does anyone know anything!" Abby yelled, "What are we supposed to be able to do in this amount of time?"

"Calm down," Gibbs demanded.

"Calm down! How do you expect me to calm down, Gibbs? Timmy could be dead in-"

"Hey! He is not going to die, and you freakin' out like this won't help. Go to to your lab-"

"And do what?" Abby interrupted.

"_And_ check the envelope and the paper for prints… Now!"

"R- right! I'm- I'm going."

* * *

_10:13 10:12 10:11 10:10_

Gibbs stared at the screen, "See if you can figure out where the signal thing is coming from on the computer."

Tony looked at Ziva, then to Gibbs, "Um, I don't know if that's possible, Boss. And, even if it is, I don't really know how. Tim's the one who does that… kind of stuff."

Gibbs glared at Tony, "Figure it out," He said through gritted teeth, "Or find someone who can!"

"Yes, Boss."

Gibbs walked over to Ziva's desk, "I want to know how he ended up there. Check his-"

"His calendar to see what his plans were for the evening. I am on it, Gibbs."

As Ziva made her way to Tim's desk, Gibbs made his way to his. He sat down for a moment, then quickly stood back up, "I'm goin' to see Abby. Let me know the second either of you find out anything!"

* * *

_9:06 9:05 9:04 9:03_

"Gibbs!" Abby exclaimed, surprised by his appearance, "I- Its only been like 4 minutes since you sent me down here. I'm- I'm not ready for you yet!"

"What do you have so far?"

"Well… nothing. I mean, there are no fingerprints on the envelope so far, and I haven't had the time to get to the paper inside the envelope yet."

"Work faster, Abby," Gibbs replied as he began leaving the lab.

"Gibbs!" She called out, stopping him from leaving, "I'm going as fast as I can. I- I can't find whoever did this in fifteen minutes time. That's impossible… And, I can't stop looking at the screen," She said as she pointed to the computer monitor where Tim usually sat.

"Then take that off."

"I tried, Gibbs! It won't turn off. I even unplugged the computer and plugged it back in… See, when I first got down here I got on the website to check on Timmy. But, when I tried to close the site, it wouldn't let me. Whoever did this wanted it to be to where we _had_ to watch. We have no choice, Gibbs."

There was a moment of silence, that Ziva ended with a quick entrance into the lab, "I checked McGee's calendar. He was taking his sister out to dinner. I called her and she said that he texted her around seven saying that he could not make it."

"What time did McGee leave work?"

"Six fifteen."

"Did DiNozzo figure out-"

"No. He has called in someone from cyber-crimes."

"Okay. Go to McGee's apartment, take DiNozzo."

Ziva nodded and left.

* * *

_7:05 7:04 7:03 7:02_

"You know, by the time we get to his place, time will already be up," Tony said as he and Ziva were getting into the car.

Ziva took a deep breath, "I know, Tony."

"Do you think…" Tony's voice trailed off.

"What? Do I think that after the fifteen minutes are up, Tim will die?"

Tony nodded, "Yeah."

"I do not know. But, until I see him in person, cold, and declared dead by Ducky, he is and will remain alive."

"That's a… good way to look at it, I guess."

* * *

_:45 :44 :43 :42_

Abby ran up to the bullpen, "We're running out of time!" She exclaimed, out of breath from using the stairs.

"I know, Abby. Did you get any prints?"

"No, none. But I did a super fast check. It was messy Gibbs, very messy."

"But there was nothing?"

She shook her head, "No." She looked at the plasma. Tim was still unconscious, "Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"

"What?"

"That he's not awake."

Gibbs sighed, "I don't know."

The clock continued to countdown to zero, then the screen went blank.

A tear escaped Abby's eye and slowly went down her cheek as she thought about the possibility that Tim might be gone, for good. She felt an arm around her back. Gibbs was there, comforting her. She laid her head on his shoulder and continued to cry silently. Neither of them spoke, neither knew what to say.

* * *

Tony looked at his watch as he and Ziva made their way up to Tim's apartment, "Time's up."

"It has been up for one minute and seventeen seconds now," Ziva replied.

Tony smirked. He had a feeling that Ziva was keeping time as well.

"The door is closed."

Tony turned the doorknob, "But not locked." He slowly opened the door.

Ziva took a couple of steps inside, with Tony following behind. She suddenly stopped, causing Tony to ram into her, "What the-"

"Tony, look."

"Oh my God."

* * *

**Wow! I have never gotten so many reviews on the first chapter :) Thank you all so much!**

**So, do you guys like how it's a Tim story, yet there was no Tim in this chapter haha... Well, he was mentioned.**

**Anyway, thanks again! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.**


	3. He Wakes Up

"This place is…"

"Destroyed," Tony finished for Ziva.

Ziva nodded, "He definitely put up a big fight."

Tony sighed, "Not big enough."

"I will call Gibbs and let him know about the mess."

"Okay, but tell him we got it covered. We can dust for prints, take pictures, and bag and tag."

"Alright."

As Ziva stepped outside to talk to Gibbs, Tony made his way into the living room, "Probie, Probie, Probie, what have you gotten yourself into?" He began looking around, trying to decipher what things were in their proper places, and what things weren't… Most things weren't. There were books scattered all over the floor, along with blank, and written on, pieces of paper. His typewriter was on the floor, broken into multiple pieces. Tony put on a pair of gloves that he had brought with him and knelt down beside the remains of the typewriter. He began picking up some of the pieces, just looking at it. He knew that that typewriter was one of Tim's most prized possessions. That would be the last thing Tim would allow to be broken… Tony knew that whatever had happened… It was _really_ bad.

Tony stood back up as Ziva re-entered the room, "Gibbs said to go ahead. He is about to talk to our mailman to see if he remembered who dropped off the envelope, and why he placed it on Agent Jennings desk when it was addressed to Abby."

"Let's get started."

Ziva began to put on her gloves, "…He also told me that when the clock ran out of time, everything just went blank. It did not show Tim being killed, in any sort of way."

"He's trapped in a box somewhere, Ziva… He's being killed, just really slowly."

Ziva got her camera out of her backpack and began taking photos. Tony went in behind her and began bagging and tagging.

"A lot of his old cd's are broken."

"They're records, Zee."

"Yes, well, they are still broken. He will not be happy about that."

"Oh, I think that might be the least of his problems."

"I am talking about when we find him and he comes back home."

Tony took a deep breath, "Yeah…"

Ziva stopped taking photos, "Do you not think we will bring him back, Tony?"

"His computer is all messed up too," Tony said, changing the subject.

"Yes, I see that."

They continued doing their jobs in silence for the remaining amount of time that they were at Tim's apartment.

* * *

With a killer headache, Tim slowly began waking up. Before opening his eyes, he began to stretch. However, it was cut short by the lack of room. His eyes popped open. He began looking around, but it was pitch black. He wouldn't have been able to see his hand in front of his face.

His heart began racing as he reached up, seeing what was over him. His arms could only lift halfway up before stopping at the top of the box. He tried to push the top of the box up, even though in the back of his mind he knew that was pointless.

He began pounding on the box, "H- Help," He tempted to scream. His throat was very dry, making yelling an impossible task, "Help," He said once again, although he knew no one could hear him.

He continued to pound on the top of the box, bruising and scraping his hands in the process.

Now, he was panicking. _'How did I get here? What happened? S- Sarah! I was supposed to go eat with Sarah! Did I? Oh God, what if she's hurt. I gotta get out! There's not enough air! I need out!'_

He lowered his arms for a moment, which is when he first felt items beside him. He couldn't tell what they were though. From what he _could_ tell, there were three different things by his right hand, and three by his left.

He had about five inches on either side of him, and, with his head touching the one end of the box, about two inches between his feet and the box.

Tim's fear of heights was known to pretty much everyone, however his fear of being trapped and/or buried alive was known to almost no one… If given the choice, he would rather be hanging over the top of the Eiffel Tower than being stuck in a box. The added possibility and probability of being underground didn't make things any better.

Breathing was suddenly becoming difficult as a panic attack started to set in. "Oh God. Breathe, Tim… Breathe. It's okay, it's okay. They'll find you. Th- the rest of the team probably already know where you are and- and they're on their way… You're… You're fine." No matter how much he tried to calm himself, breathing wasn't becoming any easier. "Come on. Y- you've slept in a coffin before, this is just like that… O- of course you had no idea it was a coffin, you weren't sleeping alone, and the coffin door was open… So… so this is absolutely nothing like that!"

* * *

It had been almost forty-five minutes since the video had gone off. Abby walked into the bullpen calmly, "I checked over the paper and envelope some more and I still came up with nothing."

"I talked to Floyd, who said that no one unusual delivered and mail to NCIS and him leaving the envelope on Jennings desk was a mistake. One that he says he has made many times."

Abby nodded, "He has… Jennings and I trade mail a few times every week. I don't know how he mixes it up."

Gibbs noticed Abby's much, _much_ calmer demeanor, "You okay, Abbs?"

"Yes, Gibbs. Yes, I am. There is no proof that anything bad happened to Timmy when the video feed went off so, until I know for sure, I am going to remain calm and not over-react."

Just then the time clock popped back on the plasma. Gibbs immediately stood up, "It's coming back on."

"What?" Abby exclaimed, "I hope he's okay! Oh, I can't look! No, I have to look!"

"Abby… calm, remember?"

She took a deep breath, "I'm good."

The time went to the bottom of the screen, just like last time, and the video appeared.

"He's awake!" Abby gasped.

Tim's head moved quickly from side to side, as though he was looking for something, "Who was that?" He asked nervously.

Abby looked at Gibbs, "Who's he talking to?"

"Abby?" Tim asked in shock.

"T- Tim? You can hear me?"

"Is this some sort of sick joke you guys are playing on me? Cause, if it is, it's not funny!"

"It's not a joke, Tim," Gibbs replied.

"Gibbs?" The sound of his voice immediately made Tim try to sound like he wasn't afraid… Gibbs didn't buy it.

"Yeah, I'm here. How can we hear each other Abby?"

"A microphone? Our computers have them built in, and whoever put Tim there, I guess also put a microphone in with him… Along with the video. It's like skyping."

"What's skyping?"

"Wait!" Tim interrupted the becoming-pointless conversation, "You can see me?"

"Yes."

"How? I- I can't see anything."

"Night vision," Gibbs replied.

"Y- You're c- coming to g-get me, right?" Tim asked, the stutter he had overcome years earlier returning. His attempts to be brave were not going over very well.

"We're working as hard as we can," Gibbs answered, "But I need to ask you some questions, McGee."

Tim nodded, "O- Okay."

"First, we only have fifteen minutes at a time with you. And," He looked at his watch, "If it continues this way, there are forty-five minutes in-between, until we see you again."

Tim's felt as though his heart was going to pound out of his chest, "Better get to the questions then."

"What's the last thing you remember before waking up?"

"I- I was leaving w-work to go out to e-eat with S-Sarah. Is she okay? You have to make sure she's okay, Gibbs! What i-"

"Tim, calm down. She's fine. We called her. She said she got a text from you at around seven last night saying that you couldn't make it."

"Couldn't make it? I- I don't think I did that, Boss."

"Okay, that gives us a time frame then. What else do you remember?"

"I left work, got in m- my car," He stopped for a moment to think, "…And, I made it h-home, I think… I c-can't remember anymore, Boss. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, Tim. You did good."

Tim laughed humorlessly, "Not too good. I am trapped in a box," That sentence made all the anxiety return, "Oh God, I'm trapped in a box. What if I'm running out of air? I can barely move! I'm stuck!" His need to look brave for Gibbs completely disappeared, "I- I can't breathe! I- I can't breathe!"

"Timmy," Abby began, "Listen to me , Tim."

"A- Abby. You're still there."

"Of course I'm here. You think I'd leave when I could eavesdrop?" Abby looked over at Gibbs, "Go get Ducky," She whispered in his ear. Gibbs nodded and headed out… It was almost as though she and Gibbs had switched places in that moment. "Now, Tim, my laptop at home keeps making this weird noise, like ca-punk ca-punk ca-punk, then the screen goes black for like two seconds, then everything wi-"

"Are you trying to get my mind off of of being buried alive?"

"Most definitely. Is it working?"

Tim sighed, "Not sure yet. Continue."

"Okay, everything will be okay for like an hour, then it happens again. What's wrong with it?"

"Well, it could…"

* * *

Gibbs hurried down to autopsy.

"Well, hello Jethro. I didn't expect to see you-"

"No time, Duck. I need you upstairs, now." Gibbs grabbed onto Ducky's arm and began pulling him toward the elevator.

"Whatever is the matter, Jethro? I've never seen you like this before."

The elevator doors open and they quickly got inside, "McGee's been buried alive somewhere. We were sent a web thing to get on a site or something and… Doesn't matter. We can see and talk to him."

"Oh dear, how did this happen?"

"I don't know. We're still trying to figure that out."

"I'm not sure I understand how I could be of any help to you."

"He's panicking, and I need to know if anything else is wrong with him."

"Of course."

They exited the elevator and headed for the bullpen. "Don't vocalize your reaction. Remember he can hear you."

Ducky nodded. He slowed down as he saw Tim on the plasma, seeing it was a lot different then just hearing about it.

"So, maybe getting a new battery would help?" Abby asked.

"Seeing that you said it has been s- six years since you last got one… then yes. Or… just get a new laptop."

"And get rid of Bertha? I think not!"

Abby and Ducky's eyes met, she nodded at him for him to go ahead.

"Hello, Timothy."

"Ducky! When did you get there?"

"Just arrived. Now, Jethro said you were having a bit trouble breathing?"

"J- Just a little anxiety is all."

"Yes, well, I suggest you try and take regular, steady breaths. Closing your eyes may help calm your nerves."

"A- Are you going t-to tell me to… to imagine big, open fields?" Tim asked with a small, forced laugh.

"Do you think that would help any?"

"Not s-sure. Maybe, though."

"No harm in trying. Now, do you feel pain anywhere?"

"H- Head hurts."

"Where at?"

"Back… Near my neck."

"You were probably hit with something. You most likely have a concussion. Do you feel tired at all?"

"No… Just t- trapped."

* * *

_1:00 :59 :58 :57_

"One minute warning, Timmy," Abby said.

"It's gonna g- go off?"

"Yeah," She replied sadly.

"I- I don't want t- to be alone down here."

"I know. But remember that we'll be back in forty-five minutes. Just close your eyes and relax."

"More d- difficult then i-it sounds."

* * *

The time ended and the screen went blank, again. Abby let out a deep breath, "He doesn't look good, Gibbs," She said as she turned back to his desk.

"He'll be okay, Abbs."

"How do you kn-"

She was cut off by the presence of a man approaching them, "Do you two work with Timothy McGee?"

"Yes," Gibbs replied, "Why?"

"Have you been watching the video? It should have just went off a few seconds ago."

"Who are you?" Gibbs asked, becoming suspicious of the man.

He smiled, "I'm the man who buried your agent."

* * *

**Boom! Now that's the way to end a chapter. lol! jk! You all probably hate me now ;) **

**Still cannot believe the amount of reviews I've received. I've written four and five chapter stories (for another show) that have less reviews than just these two chapters :) You guys are awesome! Much love, much love!**

**Please review and let me know what you think of chapter drei!**


	4. Trevor

"What did you just say?" Abby asked with a glare.

"I think you heard me," He turned back to Gibbs, "If you'd like to take me to interrogation, I'd be happy to talk with you."

The anger that was building inside of Gibbs was indescribable. "Jennings!" He called out.

Tom stood up at his desk, "Yes, Gibbs?"

"Take this… thing down to interrogation for me."

"Can do," Tom walked over and took the man by the arm. He was slightly confused as to why he was doing so, but he knew better than to question Gibbs.

"And Jennings?"

"Yeah?"

"If you just so happen to ram him into any walls, I'm sure it'll be by accident."

Tom nodded in understanding, "Yes, Sir."

Abby watched as the two men walked off, then she turned to Gibbs with wide eyes, "Is he serious?"

"I don't know."

"Why would he turn himself in?"

"I don't know."

"Well, would he tell us where Tim is?"

"I don't know."

She stared at him, "Those three words have been said far too many times today. I want some real answers, Gibbs."

Gibbs walked around his desk and placed his hands on Abby's shoulders, "I will give you some real answers, when I have them."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"I want Timmy to be safe, Gibbs."

Gibbs pulled Abby into a hug, "I know, Abbs. He will be. We'll get him home."

"I- I'm gonna go back to my lab," Abby said as the hug ended, "Tony and Ziva will be back soon with some of Tim's things. Are you going to talk to… whoever that guy is?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go there now."

"Will you-"

"You'll be the first to know."

"Thanks, Gibbs."

* * *

"You're okay. You're okay. Close your eyes. Big, open fields… Big open fields that you're buried underneath… in a box… running out of oxygen… Can't breathe! Okay, opening eyes! Opening eyes!"

Tim opened his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to return his heart beat to a normal speed.

Until that moment, he had completely forgotten about the objects that were on both sides of him. _'What is that?'_ He wondered, _'I'll h- have to ask t- the next time I talk to the r- rest of the team… God, I'm even stuttering in m- my thoughts!'

* * *

_

Tony and Ziva walked into the lab carrying large containers. Each of them were filled with Tim's things.

Tony sighed as he placed the container on the table, "Who knew he had so much stuff!"

"And this is only half of it."

He stared at her, "Yeah, I know that. I was the one bagging it all up, remember?"

"No need to be snotty."

"What?… No, I'm not even going there."

Just then Abby walked in, coming from the middle section of her lab. She was holding Bert tightly in her arms. When she saw Ziva and Tony there she quickly wiped the tears from her face, "Hey guys!" She said, attempting to be perky, "What do you got for me?"

"You okay, Abbs?" Tony asked.

"I'm great! Just… Just fine. Are these Tim's things?"

"Some of them."

She began taking his stuff out of the containers.

Ziva and Tony glanced at each other, then Ziva turned her attention back to Abby, "Abby, are you sure you are alright?"

"I told you both that I'm fine."

"But, you were crying."

Abby's bottom lip began to tremble, "I… Gibbs and I talked to Tim."

"You talked to him?" Tony asked in shock.

"Yeah. The video feed came back on after forty-five minutes. He… He was so scared. He tried to pretend he wasn't, but he was. I hate this."

"We all hate this," Ziva replied.

"Then," Abby continued, "Some guy came up claiming to be the one who buried Tim!"

"What?" Both Tony and Ziva said at the same time.

"Gibbs is talking to him in interrogation right now." Abby saw both of their faces. She could tell that they wanted to go to observation and watch, yet they didn't want to leave her, "Go," She said, "I'll be fine. I've got all of Tim's things to keep me company."

Tony smiled at her sympathetically and left the room. Ziva reached over the table and took a hold of Abby's hand, "We will find him Abby," She said encouragingly before following Tony out.

* * *

"Who are you?" Gibbs said right as he entered interrogation.

"I told you already, I-"

"I mean your name!"

"Trevor Fallon."

Gibbs sat down across from Trevor, "Talk."

"About?"

"You know what about!"

"Oh yes, you want to know about your agent," Trevor smiled, "He is safe… for now."

Gibbs took a deep breath, trying to calm himself when all he felt like doing was strangling the man.

"Agent McGee will not run out of oxygen. I have a pipe running from the bottom of the box up into the great outdoors. So, although he may feel like he's suffocating, he isn't. I placed some food and water inside of the box, near his hands so he could reach. It's not much, but, if he chooses his portions very carefully, it could last him up to two weeks... Of course, there is no place for him to go to the bathroom, so it is going to smell."

The more Trevor talked, the more Gibbs wanted to kill him.

"Where is he?"

Trevor laughed, "Why in God's name would I ever tell you that?.. Besides, isn't finding him _your_ job?"

If looks could kill… Trevor would be dead.

"Anyway," Trevor continued, "Along with the water and food is one other thing."

"What?"

"A knife."

"For?"

Trevor smiled, "I think you already know what for… It's for when your agent can't handle the dark anymore. It's for when he's tired of lying there, trapped in a tiny space, barely able to move. It's so he can end his own suffering."

That was it. Gibbs stood up, grabbed Trevor by his shirt and slung him against the wall.

"What are you gonna do?" Trevor asked, "Kill me while you're on camera? You're not that stupid. You wouldn't do anything to jeopardize finding Agent McGee sooner… Well, _trying_ to find him."

"Why?" Gibbs asked through gritted teeth.

"Why what?"

"Why did you turn yourself in?"

Trevor shrugged, "Why not? My parts done with, I did what I needed to do. I'm being generous, Gibbs. Now you don't have to waste your time trying to find who did this to Agent McGee… You already know. So, you can go and spend your days _trying_ to find him. And you can watch as the man you once knew crumbles away, until all that is left is a suicidal mess. Then, Agent Gibbs, you can stare at the screen as he slices that knife across his throat and there's nothing you can do to stop it."

* * *

**As I suspected I got lots of "how could you" reviews after the last chapter lol Hopefully this makes up for that. This cliffy is a little tamer than the last one.**

**I would like to give you all Abby sized hugs for the reviews! Please review this chapter, or I'll have to Gibbs smack you. ;)**


	5. The Knife

Gibbs released the man, "Sit down," He demanded.

"Yes, sir."

They both sat back down in their seats.

"Why Tim?"

"Good question," Trevor smiled, "He's weak."

"He's not weak," Gibbs replied, "No one on my team is weak."

"I'm not just talking about physically, Agent Gibbs. He's mentally weaker than the others. You're other agents have been through much more than he has, therefore they know how to deal with difficult situations better than Agent McGee does… I will say that he put up a good fight. I was in his house waiting for him when he got home. As he started to walk into his bedroom I walked out," Trevor laughed, "If he wouldn't have put his gun in his kitchen drawer first, he probably could have just shot me and he wouldn't be in this situation. But, he didn't have any weapons… except for himself. He fought me off for a while," He rolled up his sleeves slowly, "Gave me some pretty bad bruises too, but I still won in the end. I hit him on the back of his head with his typewriter… Well, a part of his typewriter. He had broken it when he threw it at me. It was really all by luck that I got him. If he hadn't already been so drained from the long day at work, then he might have been able to fight me off. But, chasing that suspect through the parking garage for fifteen minutes straight had to be tiring."

Trevor's smile widened at the look on Gibbs face, "Yeah, I've been following him around… a lot. I'm surprised none of you noticed… I sure hope his sister Sarah is okay. I texted her for Tim telling her that he couldn't make it. I hope she got the text and wasn't too worried."

"Why are you doing this?" Gibbs asked.

Trevor shrugged, "To prove a point, I guess. Everyone in law enforcement thinks they're so high and mighty. That somehow they're better than everyone else, when they're really no different at all… I've been studying your team for a while now and you always come out victorious with every case. You all think you're so perfect, but you're not. It's time that you realized that."

* * *

After spending ten more minutes with Trevor, Gibbs exited interrogation, to be met not only by Tony and Ziva, but Vance as well.

"I don't think he's working alone," Gibbs began.

"I don't either," Vance replied, "That's why I'm turning him over to the FBI."

"What?"

Tony and Ziva remained silent.

"From the sound of his "reason" for taking Agent McGee, it sounds as though he could be part of a group of people who feel the same way. Now, do you want to spend your time trying to find the rest of these people, or do you want to find Agent McGee?"

Gibbs didn't reply, but he didn't need to.

"That's what I thought. Agent Fornell will be handling it. If you ever need to talk to Trevor Fallon you will be allowed," Vance walked off.

"That does not sound so bad," Ziva said, "We can now focus on McGee."

"I gotta agree, Boss. We can't waste Tim's time on trying to find more of these guys."

Gibbs began to walk off, "Let's go."

* * *

Gibbs looked at his watch, then at the plasma. It had been forty-four minutes… Soon they would get to talk to Tim again.

Abby came running into the bullpen, "I'm not late am I?"

"No, you're a minute early."

"Good."

Tony and Ziva glanced at each other. They were both wondering what this would be like… Neither of them had had the chance to talk to Tim yet, and they weren't sure if they wanted to.

"Did you hear they're turning everything over to the FBI?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, I was told."

"Of course you were… I was just told like ten seconds ago, by Vance… not you," She put her hands on her hips, "They took Tim's stuff so they could check for fingerprints and match them to the suspect, etc… Vance told me everything... not you."

"I get it, Abbs. I should have come and told you-"

"Only because, you know, you said if you found anything out I'd be the first to know."

"Abby, I'm trying to find-"

"Tim!" Tony suddenly exclaimed.

Abby sighed, "Yes, I know-"

"No, Abby, it's Tim."

"Tony?" Tim questioned, "That you?"

"Yeah, it's me McGee."

"Who all is there?"

"Gibbs, Abby, Ziva and me."

Tim had sweat running down his face, "So… how do I look?" He asked with a small, forced laugh.

"You look fine."

"Come on, Tony, no jokes about my appearance?"

"Well, never really looked that good to begin with, so…"

Tim smiled, "There we go."

"McGee," Gibbs began.

"Yeah, Boss?"

"We have the man who put you in there."

Tim's eyes widened, "Y- You do?"

"Yeah, he turned himself in."

"W-Why?"

"That doesn't matter right now. I just need to tell you that there is a pipe running from the bottom of the box up into the outdoors. You will not run out of oxygen, okay?"

"T- That's good, right?"

"That is _very_ good, McGee," Ziva answered.

Tim nodded, "Yeah… Um, I was meaning to a- ask something b- before."

"What's that?" Gibbs asked.

"I have some things beside e- each of my arms and I have no idea w- what they are, because I c- can't see. But, since you can w- will you tell me if I h- hold then up to the c- camera?"

"No need, McGee," Gibbs replied, "Trevor already told me what the things were."

"Trevor?… Is that w- who took me?"

"Yes. He put some bags of food and a few water bottles in with you. He said that it should last you up to two weeks if you portion it correctly."

Tim felt the object beside him. He felt the bags of food, and the water, but he also felt something else. He picked it up and put it on his chest, "W- What is this? C- Can you see it?"

Gibbs sighed, "Yeah, we can see it."

The others didn't know what to say, so they didn't speak.

"...It's a knife, Tim."

Tim was quiet for a moment. " What… What's it for?" He asked, although he feared that he already knew the answer.

Now no one spoke. Not even Gibbs could find something to say.

Tim felt the tears stinging his eyes. He cleared his throat, "It's- It's for me t- to use on m-me, isn't it?"

"It doesn't matter what it's for, Tim," Gibbs answered, "All that matters in that you don't think about using it."

"I- I won't, Boss. I won't." Against his best efforts to hold back, a single tear escaped his eye. He hoped his team members didn't notice… They noticed, but they didn't say anything about it. "Why did he choose me? Is it s- someone from an old c- case?"

"No. We think he's part of a group of people who have some major problems with authority. We're not sure who the group is, but the FBI are going to work on that."

"FBI?"

"Vance's decision… We all agree with it though. It lets us focus on getting you back."

"How- How are you gonna do t- that, Boss?"

"We have a computer geek downstairs working on finding a signal from the video feed," Tony replied, "It's on the internet so we should be able to trace it… Right?"

"Yeah… Unless he blocked the signal, or... Well, if he's good with technology there is a lot of things he could do to make the feed untraceable."

"Well, for right now it _is_ traceable," Gibbs said, wanting him to only think positively.

"Yes, Boss, it's traceable… Is- Is Abby still there?"

"I'm here, Timmy."

"Wow… I've never known you to be i- in a room so long w- without talking," He said with a laugh.

"Hey! I was being kind by letting the others speak."

He suddenly looked concerned, "H- Have you been crying?"

Abby looked around at the agents, "Why would you think that, Tim?"

"I- I can tell. I've always been able to t- tell when you've been c-crying, just by h- hearing your voice."

Abby sighed, "That's an annoying gift you have."

"Don't… Don't cry Abby. I'm… I'm fine."

"You'll be fine when you're back here where I can give you a hug."

He smiled, "Can't wait."

* * *

The fifteen minutes passed. Abby went back down to her lab. The rest of the team sat silently at their desks. They could tell that Tim already wasn't doing well, and the more time that passed, the worse off he would be.

A nervous looking man entered the bullpen, "Agent Gibbs?"

"Yeah?"

The man walked over to Gibbs' desk, "I'm Derek, I work in cyber-crimes."

"Do you know where McGee is?" Tony asked as he and Ziva walked over to Gibbs' desk.

"Well, no, not yet… I- I just wanted to let you know t- that it's going to take some time."

"What do you mean my "some time"?" Gibbs asked.

"W- Well, the signal is just bouncing all over the place. It's not giving me a- any certain locations. Plus there are all these encryptions on the website that you have to go through and…" His voice trailed off when he saw the look on Gibbs face. He decided he'd have to figure out a new way to explain, "He set the website up like a maze, sir. He put up different walls and we have to try to knock them down. I think, if we can figure out how to knock those walls down, then we'll be told where he is at. I still have the trace running to try and find where the signal is coming from, but I doubt we'll get anywhere on that. The best bet is to go through the maze… But, it's going to take time."

"How long?"

"Days, possibly weeks."

"Are you kidding me!" Tony exclaimed, "He doesn't have that kind of time! I mean, I know the guy said he could be down there for two weeks, but who could last two weeks in a box?"

"Tony, calm down," Ziva said as she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Agents Gibbs, David, and DiNozzo, I just want you to know that, on behalf of the entire cyber-crimes unit, we will do everything we can to go as fast as possible. For the few months that Agent McGee was with us, he treated us all with respect… Which is something that we don't get very often by field agents. We all looked up to him and we all want to help. Anyone down there who isn't working on a case already, is working to find Agent McGee. You'll get our best work, I promise."

* * *

Tim laid there… Just laying. He wasn't really thinking about anything, until his hand reached over and he felt the knife, "No. Don't even think about it being here," He told himself. But now he couldn't stop thinking about it. He picked it up. It had a cover on it, so he didn't have to worry about accidentally cutting himself. He wasn't sure why he was holding it, but he couldn't seem to put it down. He didn't want to kill himself, but he couldn't get the thought out of his mind.

"They'll find you. Don't worry. They'll find you soon… Maybe, maybe you just need to make noise. Maybe if you make noise someone will hear you and they can get help." He put down the knife and lifted his arms until they reached the top of the box. He began banging on the box with his fists... He banged and banged until his hands were raw and bleeding.

* * *

**Didn't feel like writing until tonight. I didn't want to force myself to write the chapter and it just be mediocre or less... Which, even though I'm in a good writing mood now, it may still be mediocre or less (hopefully not though).**

**I love all the reviews I've gotten! You guys are all so sweet :) Thank you so much! They are all much appreciated.**


	6. I Can't

Gibbs exited the elevator and angrily walked to his desk. He had just come from speaking with Trevor.

Tony glanced at Ziva before speaking, "How'd it go?"

Gibbs glared at him, "How do you think it went?"

"That bad?"

"All he told me was that he made it so the camera and microphone run on a watch battery."

Tony sighed, "He wanted to make sure the battery didn't run out no matter what."

"Yeah, I figured that out already… Who talked to Tim?"

"Abby and I did," Ziva replied, "Tony continued working up here while we talked in the lab."

"How was he?"

"Not good. His hands were bleeding from hitting the top of the box. He tried to hide it from us, but we saw it when he took a sip of water... Which Abby made him do. He is still trying to be strong."

Things were quiet for a moment.

"Have you gotten anything?" Gibbs asked.

Tony shook his head, "Nothin', Boss."

Gibbs took a deep breath, "I hate sittin' around," He got up from his desk and left out of the bullpen.

* * *

Ducky and Jimmy were busy preforming an autopsy when Gibbs came in.

Both Jimmy and Ducky looked back to see who was there. When they saw it was Gibbs, Jimmy turned to Ducky, "I think it's time for my break, Dr. Mallard. I will be with Abby."

Ducky nodded, "I will contact you when your break is over."

"Yes, doctor."

Jimmy walked passed Gibbs and left the room.

Ducky removed the gloves from his hands and walked over to Gibbs, "You are here about Timothy, no doubt."

"He can't last two weeks down there, Duck."

"No, probably not."

"We're you updated on everything?"

"I heard through the grapevine, yes."

"Abby?"

Ducky smiled, "That would be correct."

"Trevor wants McGee to kill himself."

The smile quickly faded from Ducky's face, "Yes, I heard about the knife… although Abigail did not mention Timothy committing suicide."

"Do you think he would?"

"Jethro, I am surprised to hear you ask such a question."

Gibbs sighed, "Yeah, me too. But, I need to know."

Ducky thought for a moment, "I am afraid I cannot answer that. Under normal circumstances, not a chance, but… For right now, I do not think so, but more time passing by equals more time to think. Too much thinking is not always a good thing, Jethro."

"What do you mean?"

"As more time goes by, he's going to believe less and less that he will ever be rescued. He's not going to be resting, receiving the proper nutrition, the correct amount of water, and sooner or later he will have to go to the restroom. He will most likely become delirious, dehydrated, and humiliated. I know he was given some water, but that's just enough to keep him living, not to keep his sanity. All of that mixed together does not sit well with me, Jethro. I also hear that he is trying to be strong. We all know that when a person hides their feelings for too long all that comes from it is an explosion of how they truly feel."

"So, you are saying that he probably will kill himself."

Ducky sighed, "No, I already said I cannot answer that question. What I am saying is that you need to try and find him… the quicker the better."

Gibbs nodded. He turned around and began to leave.

"Jethro!"

"Yeah, Duck?"

"The next time the feed begins, I would like to be there. If I can speak with him then I may be able to tell you more about his current state of mind."

"I'll call you when it's time."

"Thank you."

* * *

This time, when the video feed came back on, it was just Ducky and Tim… in the lab at least. The rest of the team were in the bullpen, watching quietly. Abby had turned off their microphone so none of them could be heard if they made a noise. But, they could still hear Tim… And every moment of it broke their hearts.

"Hello, Timothy," Ducky said as the feed started.

"Ducky, hi. Who else is with you?"

"It's just me, my lad."

Tim smiled, "Wanting to s- see if I'm crazy yet?"

"Just wanting to talk. How are you feeling?"

"Are… Are you sure no one else is there?"

"Yes, I am sure."

Tim sighed, "My legs keep cramping. I can't hardly move them at all."

"Anything else?"

Tim moved his hands near his chest, "This hurts," He said as he showed Ducky where he had rubbed his skin raw. Blood was dripping onto his shirt.

"How did that happen, Timothy?"

"Every time the v- video goes off I… I bang on the top of the box, hoping someone will hear me."

"You shouldn't do that, Timothy. Your hands could become infected."

"How- How long have I been down here, Ducky?" Tim asked, not paying attention to what the doctor had just said.

"In total, I am not sure. _Awake_, four hours."

Tears filled in Tim's exhausted eyes, "Four? It feels like it's been a- a lot longer than that."

"I am sure it does."

"Ducky?"

"Yes, Timothy?"

"I- I can't handle this much longer… I'm gonna go insane."

"You are going to be fine. When you were in Africa, rescuing Ziva, you and Tony were held captive for much longer than you have been in there, and you were just fine."

"I wasn't buried underground in a box, Ducky!" Tim yelled suddenly, "We had a plan! We were _supposed_ to be captured! _This_ wasn't planned!" Tim began jerking all around, hitting the top and sides of the box as he screamed, "I want out of here! Get me out!"

"Timothy!" Ducky yelled, trying to be louder than Tim, "Timothy!"

"Just get me out! Somebody hear me!"

"Timothy, stop it!"

Tim hit the box a couple of more times before stopping. His bottom lip began to quiver. He put his hands over his face and started to cry, "I can't…Please… I can't… I can't," He kept repeating over and over.

* * *

The bullpen was silent. A single tear fell down Abby's face. Tony stood beside Ziva with his mouth open slightly, in shock over the blowup that seemed to come from nowhere. Ziva blinked repeatedly, trying to make the tears that were stinging her eyes go away. Gibbs stared at the screen, watching his agent fall apart as Trevor's words went through his mind, _'…You can stare at the screen as he slices that knife across his throat and there's nothing you can do to stop it.'_

"G- Gibbs." That's all Abby could get out once she finally found her voice.

Gibbs walked up to her and put his arm around her.

Again, it was silent. It remained that way until the time ran out and the screen went blank. The last image they all saw was Tim's face, covered with tears, still crying hysterically.

Abby took deep breaths, trying to hold back the panic attack she was wanting to have, "T- This isn't good, Gibbs."

"Yeah, I know."

"Boss…" Tony didn't even know what to say.

"We better get back to work," Ziva said as she turned around and walked to her desk.

Tony nodded, "Yeah."

"Abbs," Gibbs began, "Go down to cyber-crimes and see how Derek is doing."

"But… But what about-"

"Right now, the best thing you can do for Tim is go down and see how it's going down there. It saves me from having to do it, and I can continue working on finding him from up here."

Abby nodded, "O- Okay." She began to walk off.

"But Abby?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't harass him."

As Abby walked off, Ducky walked into the squadroom, "Jethro, we need to talk in your office, now. It's about Tim and it's urgent."

* * *

**So, it's Tuesday... But, it's a Tuesday without NCIS... Not even a promo to get me through the next week. This. Is. Depressing. Tuesday's should just not exist if NCIS isn't going to be on. UGH! I guess my mother and I will just have to watch Criminal Minds to get me through. I mean, I love Criminal Minds... but it's no NCIS.**

**On another note, I really don't know how to say how much I appreciate all of your reviews. If I were Charlie Sheen I would say that you all have tiger blood... But, I'm not Charlie Sheen (I'm actually just watching him on E! News which is why I even mentioned him). By the way, is saying you have tiger blood a good thing? I'm not really following the whole Sheen problems... There are just too many!**

**Well, seeing that I got completely off subject, I'll get back on. I hope this chapter will get you through your NCISless Tuesday... Although it may do nothing but depress you further. For that, I am sorry. Otherwise, enjoy and please review ;D**


	7. Doubt

Ducky and Gibbs entered the elevator. Ducky pressed the button for autopsy, and as it started its descent, Gibbs flipped the emergency switch, "Go," He said to Ducky.

"I don't have to ask whether or not you all were watching from the-"

"Of course we were, Ducky. What about Tim?" Gibbs asked impatiently. He couldn't afford to waste time with small talk.

"He's declining, fast. Faster than I thought he would."

"Yes, I can tell, but why?"

"Knowing Timothy, he probably has a fear of being buried alive, or trapped. That could make it a lot worse for him than it would be for someone without that fear."

"No one would want to be buried alive, Duck."

"Well, I know that Jethro, but there is a big difference between not wanting something and being afraid of it. No one wants to be bitten by a snake, but some people don't fear it. Those who fear snakes react very differently around them then those who just don't want to be bitten by one."

Gibbs placed his hand on his forehead, "I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Ducky. I've never been like that before. I don't even know what to tell Tony or Ziva to look for. I'm not gonna get anything from Trevor. All I can really do is wait for the people in cyber-crimes to get through the maze, wall, whatever it is, thing."

"Have they checked to see if any of Timothy's neighbors saw anyone leaving his apartment? Or why did no one hear them fighting? From what I heard the entire apartment was destroyed."

Gibbs sighed, "Tony and Ziva called all of his neighbors. All but two of them were gone at the time, one told Ziva he was so drunk that he couldn't have heard his grandma calling him from heaven. The other one is deaf. No one saw anything either."

"Jethro, even if you get Timothy out before… _things_ become too serious," Ducky began, choosing his words carefully, "I fear that the emotional damage will have already been done."

Gibbs took a deep breath, "This just keeps gettin' better and better."

* * *

Ziva was typing away at her computer, yet she wasn't really focused on her work. She kept looking over at Tony, who seemed to just be staring off into space.

"Should you not be doing something, Tony?" Ziva asked.

"Like what?"

"Like trying to find McGee."

"You know just as well as I do that all we can do is wait for Derek and company to figure out his location."

Ziva shrugged, "So, what, you are just going to sit and do absolutely nothing?"

"I'm not doing nothing. I'm thinking."

"About?"

"You know what about."

"Thinking about helping Tim is not going to help Tim," Ziva replied.

"Actually, I was thinking about ways to torture and kill Trevor."

Ziva looked intrigued, "And what did you come up with?"

"Well, in one scenario I hang him by his feet and then swing him back and forth until he vomits and then chokes on it, dying in the process. Then the other one is tying him to a chair and forcing him to watch Staying Alive until he can't take it any more and begs me to kill him… Those are my most creative ones."

"Those are good… although I have never seen Staying Alive."

"It's the horribly awful sequel of Saturday Night Fever."

Ziva's eyebrows furrowed, "Does it have something to do with a mass breakout of some disease?"

"I wish."

Ziva got up from her desk and walked over to Tony, "Gibbs should not have told McGee that he had a knife with him."

"Oh yeah? What should he have said?"

"He could have made something up."

"Yeah, so then when Tim took the cover off of the knife and cut himself he would have realized Gibbs was lying, and then he would really believe he had no chance of getting out of there. That's a good idea."

"He might not have bothered it anymore. Then he never would have known."

Tony sighed, "He would have figured it out eventually, Zee."

"Do you think he would do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know what I am talking about, Tony."

"Are you asking whether or not I think that Tim will slice himself from ear to ear?"

Ziva lowered her head, "Never mind. I should not have asked." She turned around and headed back to her desk.

"Ziva," Tony called out, stopping her.

She turned back around, "Yes?"

"I don't know. Before seeing McGee this time, I would have said no way… But now, I don't know."

Ziva nodded, "I still wish I would not have asked."

"Yeah… and I wish none of us would be wondering the same thing you asked."

Derek came into the bullpen, "Where is Gibbs?" He asked.

"Right here," Gibbs said as he walked in.

"Just an update. We haven't gotten through the maze yet, but I think I can stop the time clock the next time the feed starts up. Don't ask me how because you wouldn't understand it. I just wanted you to know."

"We'll be able to be with him constantly then?"

Derek nodded, "Yes sir. Just let me know when the feed starts up and I'll get to work. Until then, I'm gonna go work on the maze."

* * *

Tim banged on the top of the box. It seemed to be all that he knew how to do anymore to get him to stop thinking about the knife.

"Just keep making noise, Tim," He said to himself, "Someone will hear you. They'll get help. You'll be dug up, and you'll be out of here in no time."

He began to laugh, "That's so stupid. No one's going to find me. Why would I even think that? I save up all of these high hopes when all that's going to happen is that I'm going to run out of food, and water, then I'll slowly die. If not by starvation, then by dehydration…" His laughing stopped, "Or, if I don't sleep, I'll die from not resting. How long would it take to die from lack of rest? I should know this! I can't think! I can't think in here!" He banged harder on the box, causing his already hurting hands to hurt, and bleed, even more.

The blood dripped from his hand and onto his face, causing him to stop pounding on the box. He felt the blood that lied on his cheek, "Blood. Just like if I had cut myself… You use knives to cut things. I have a knife… and no other way out. The teams says they'll get me out, but they're just saying that to make me feel better. I can hear the doubt in their voices. I'll end up here until I die a terrible, long death… I don't blame the team. I know they're trying their hardest to find me, but I don't want to be here for two weeks or longer."

Tim took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, then re-opened them, "What are you thinking, Tim? You're talking to yourself, you idiot. You heard Ducky, you've only been down here for a few hours. Just a few hours and you've gone from trying to survive to trying to give yourself a reason to pick up the knife and kill yourself!… But, just think about it. Is it really killing yourself if you're gonna die anyway? Yes! Yes it is! Its only been a few hours. Give them time, Tim! Don't be weak."

He became quiet… He hated the quiet. It was horrible. Not being able to see or hear anything. There was no sense of time. Sure, he was being told that it was forty-five minutes in-between each fifteen minutes that he got to talk to the team, but to him it felt like hours. It felt like he had been trapped for days. It was the worst feeling in the world.

He raised his arms back to the top of the box and began hitting it again, "Help me!" He yelled as he began to cry, "Help me! Please, help me!"

* * *

**Okay, so I'm trying to think of how I would react to being buried alive, and yet think of how I would guess Tim would react. I would go crazy within twenty minutes... probably sooner. I decided Tim would last a while longer than that. But, when you think about it, if you don't know what time it is and you're buried underground, you'd think a lot more time had gone by, right? I guess I'm doubting myself. I don't want to seem like I'm rushing his feelings of hopelessness and everything.**

**Please review to let me know what you think :) It'll make me smile with happiness!**


	8. Never Alone

The video feed started back, and the first thing Abby saw and heard was Tim screaming expletives as loud as he could. It shocked Abby, as she rarely ever heard Tim cuss at all. She was the only one with him as Tony and Ziva had been told, by Gibbs, to go get coffee… and Gibbs went down to cyber-crimes to tell Derek it was almost time to get to work on stopping the time clock.

Abby cleared her throat, "Tim! Timmy!" She yelled, trying to be louder than his screams.

He stopped screaming and squirming at the sound of her voice, "Abbs?"

"Yeah, it's me, Tim."

"I'm… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been yelling like that."

"No need to apologize. It's okay."

Tim took a few deep breaths, "I'm going insane, Abby," He said in a quiet voice.

"Only insane people think they're not insane."

"What?"

"Well, as long as you're able to admit that you're insane, then… you're not insane."

Tim sighed, "I'm tired."

"Then why don't you close your eyes and rest for a while?"

"Because, every time I close my eyes I feel more closed in than I already am."

"I thought it was 'already are'?"

"Huh? Are… Are you correcting my grammar?"

"Just thinking out loud."

Tim was quiet for a moment, "You're wrong."

"Are you sure?"

"How would this sentence go: 'I am closed in' or 'I are closed in'?"

"Oh, I gotcha, Timmy… I just curtsied you, by the way."

Tim couldn't help but smile, "Only you would."

Abby's voice seemed to be an instant soother for Tim. The moment he heard it, when the feed started, it made him feel calmer… and a lot less crazy.

"Who else is there?" Tim asked.

"No one. Just you and me."

"Romantic."

Abby laughed, "Very. Now, I have some store brand potato chips with me, and I know that you have something with you, so why don't we make this a real date and eat together?"

"I'm not real hungry, Abbs."

"Tim, I can hear your stomach growling. You haven't eaten since lunch yesterday. Come on, open one of the bags, I wanna see what you've got."

"Abby, I-" Tim paused, "You're glaring at me with your hands on your hips, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

"Fine." He picked up one of the bags that laid on his left side, "I just wish I knew what I was about to stick in my mouth."

Abby looked at the bag that now laid over Tim's chest, "It's see through. Move your hands and I'll tell you what it is."

He put his hands to the side and waited.

"It looks like your basic trail mix."

Tim made a sour face, "Is that what they all are?" He asked as he lifted the other two bags into the camera's vision.

"Uh, looks like it."

Tim groaned, "Figures I'd be given the one snack that I dislike. Why couldn't he have shoved three bags of nutter butters down here with me?"

Abby rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Just eat it, Timmy."

"Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

Gibbs stood just outside of the lab. Derek was busy working on the timer and Gibbs felt in the way down there, so he decided he'd come check on how Abby was doing.

Gibbs had figured that Abby would be the one with the magic touch, which is why he had Tony and Ziva drive to a cafe twenty minutes away to get the coffee. Although, he had to admit that he was surprised by how well Abby was doing. She was staying very positive, and she never lingered on the fact that Tim was still trapped underground in a box somewhere. If Tim brought it up, Abby would acknowledge his concerns, then move on to another subject.

* * *

The timer was at one minute. Abby gave Tim the warning that time was almost up.

When it reached twelve seconds the timer froze, then flashed off of the screen.

"Uh… or not," Abby said.

"Or not what?"

"Well, the timer disappeared, but you didn't... Derek must have figured it out!" She squealed happily.

"Figured what out? Who's Derek?"

"In cyber-crimes. He said that he might be able to stop the feed from going off, and it looks like he did just that."

"So I… I won't be alone anymore?"

"Never, Timmy. Never."

He nodded and choked back the tears that were threatening to fall, "Good. That's good."

It was then that Gibbs realized he had been standing in the same spot for fifteen minutes. He had gotten lost in the conversations of Abby and Tim.

He turned around just as the elevator doors opened, revealing Derek, "Gibbs! I mean, sir… I- I think I got it."

"You did get it," Gibbs replied. He laid his hand on Derek's shoulder, "You did good. Really good."

"Th- Thank you, sir."

"Call me Gibbs, Derek. Heck, if you figure out where McGee is, call me anything you want."

Derek laughed, "Yes, sir… I mean, Gibbs. I'm gonna go work on that right now." He turned to leave, but stopped after taking only one step, "Gibbs?" He said as he turned back around.

"Yeah?"

"When you talk to McGee, will you tell him that we're all working extra hard to find him… We're even using programs that he wrote while he was down with us. I just think… it might be good for him to know how many people are working on getting him back safely."

Gibbs nodded, "I agree. I'll tell him."

"Thank you, Gibbs."

"You're welcome."

* * *

"So, I was walking her back to her place and she was all like, 'you wanna come inside?' so, of course, I said yes."

"Of course," Tim replied with a sigh. He had been listening to this story since Tony took over sitting with him… two hours ago.

"Okay," Tony continued, "I go inside and we're talking and drinking coffee… horrible coffee, by the way. It had way too much sugar in it and-"

"Tony, please! I'm dying here!" They were both silent for a moment, "I mean that both literally and metaphorically, _by the way_."

Tony took a deep breath, "Getting to the point now. I lean in to make my move and she goes, 'Hey! What do you think you're doing?'," Tony laughed, "She said that to me, McGee! Me! Who does that? The DiNozzo charm had _always_ worked up to that point."

"That's it?" Tim asked, obviously annoyed, "That's your worst date ever? Are you kidding me?"

"It was traumatizing, McHeartless! She fluffed me off like I was… something fluffable!"

The room got quiet. Tim closed his eyes for a moment, but he quickly reopened them. A single tear fell down the side of his face.

"Come on, Tim. The story wasn't _that_ bad," Tony said, already knowing it had nothing to do with the story.

"It's… It's not that."

"What is it?"

"I can't… I can't talk about it."

"Why not?"

"Cause it's embarrassing, Tony!" Tim exclaimed.

"I'm the king of embarrassing, McGee," Tony joked, but he quickly returned to being serious, "You can tell me, Tim."

Another tear fell, "I… I need to," He cleared his throat, "I need to go to the bathroom."

"Oh…"

"Yeah, uh, Abby had me drink quite a bit of water earlier and I guess it's catching up with me… Plus I haven't gone to the bathroom since about five o'clock yesterday afternoon."

Tony looked at his watch, "Tim, that's almost twenty-two hours."

"Really? Feels more like twenty-two days."

"Well, Tim… go."

"Tony, I," Tim covered his face with his hands.

Tony grimaced at the sight of Tim's badly torn up hands, "Tim, I know it's embarrassing, but you can't hold your pee in forever!"

"You don't understand!" Tim yelled, throwing his hands up, "I haven't peed on myself since I was four years old at Disney World! I was with my mom and all the frickin' stalls were taken!"

"Well, it wasn't your first choice then, and it's not your first choice now, but you've got no other one."

Tim returned his hands to cover his face, "Oh God, Tony… I hate this!"

"I know, McGee. I know."

* * *

_Four hours later…_

He was cold, yet he was sweating. He was tired, yet he couldn't close his eyes. He couldn't see anything with his eyes open, but closing them seemed to make him feel like it was even darker. He smelled, and there was no way to escape it. He could barely move, and his body was cramping. He was hungry, but he couldn't eat, cause he might run out of food. He was thirsty, but he didn't drink, cause he might run out of water. He could barely use his hands now, they hurt so badly. The bleeding had seemed to stop mostly, but every once in a while he felt them bleed a little if they rubbed up against anything.

Ziva was talking to him about… something. He wasn't really paying attention. She could be telling him she was pregnant with Bono's child and he wouldn't have noticed.

All he kept doing was thinking about the things he was trying not to think about…. The smell, the darkness, the humiliation, the hopelessness… and the knife that could end all of that.

* * *

**I don't think I've ever enjoyed writing a story so much... Not that I love torturing Tim, I just enjoy the writing. When I start writing a chapter, I just can't seem to stop. And, I'm pretty sure that all of your reviews are the reason I'm able to do that. They keep me going, make me smile, laugh, and thank God for giving me the push to start writing for NCIS. I was absolutely terrified when I started writing Broken Angel, but I am so glad I did it. If I hadn't I would never have met so many wonderful people on here... I don't want to sound cheesy, and I am definitely not just saying this to get more reviews. I truly mean every word. Thank you all so much!**

**Also, if you haven't already, you guys should read Uncommon Minds. It's another fanfic and it's really good (and Tim-centered). It's rated M, and I usually don't like M rated stories, but I love this one. It's one of my favorites.**


	9. Not Much Longer

The lab had become the designated 'Talk to Tim' space. Each team member took four hour shifts. Tony, Ziva, and Abby had taken their turns… Now it was Gibbs'.

Abby yawned and walked out of the room quietly as Gibbs entered. She gave him a small, sad look as she left out, but she was too tired to say a word.

"McGee, it's Gibbs."

"Yeah, Abby told me you'd be coming in next. You really don't have to babysit me, Boss."

"I know I don't, and I'm not. You're not a baby."

"Everyone seems to be treating me like one," He mumbled. He hoped Gibbs didn't hear… Gibbs heard.

"Wha' do you mean?"

"Nothing."

"They're telling you stories to get your mind off of things, asking you random questions that you couldn't care less about right now, and, whenever you do bring up the fact that you're trapped, they change the subject thinking it's helping you to forget."

Tim nodded, "Yeah, that's pretty much it," Tim's eyes suddenly widened, "Oh my God, Jethro!"

"What?"

"No. Not you, Boss. My dog. I left him at the sitters because I was going out with Sarah after work. I wouldn't have time to walk and feed him… She's gonna be wondering where I am."

"What's her name?"

"Leona Finn. Her number is in my address book on my desk."

"I'll have Tony call her in the morning."

"In the morning," Tim repeated, "What time is it?"

Gibbs looked at his watch, "1:04am. You need to get some sleep."

"Can't."

"McGee, I know you. You don't do well without sleep."

"I'm not tired. Can… Can we not talk about this please?"

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

"Nothing," Tim replied, "I don't want to talk about anything."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. This was going to be a very long four hours. He didn't understand how the rest of the team seemed to have such an easy time talking with him… Gibbs just wasn't much of a talker.

"You're not stuttering," Gibbs said after about a minute of silence.

"I'm not talking."

"When you do talk, you don't stutter. They first few times we talked you were stuttering."

"O…kay."

Gibbs sighed inwardly, "Derek wanted me to tell you that everyone down in cyber-crimes is working extra hard to find you. He's got people going in and out in shifts so there's always someone working on finding you… He seems to really look up to you. You must have made a pretty good impression on all of them down there."

"Okay."

Gibbs rubbed his forehead. This was going to be a very, _very_ long four hours.

* * *

"What about your life would you regret if you only had an hour to live?" Tony asked as he and Ziva were walking back to NCIS after getting a cup of coffee.

"McGee does not only have an hour to live, Tony."

"I'm not talking about McGee," Tony replied, "I'm just asking."

"Well, I would regret the relationship my father and I had, and still have. I would regret not ever having a family of my own… and I would regret the situation that gave me only an hour to live. What about you, Tony?"

"Pretty much the same thing… Plus not ever getting to go to the playboy mansion."

Ziva laughed, "That sounds like you. However, I did not think you wanted a family."

"Of course I do," Tony replied, "No one wants to die alone."

"Who says you would die alone?"

"If I don't have family, then who's gonna be there?"

Ziva was quiet for a moment, "I will watch you die."

Tony stopped walking, "What?"

"If you do not have a family, and only have an hour to live, I will watch you die," She explained, "That way, you will not be alone."

"Okay," Tony replied, "But, what if you die before me?"

"With your eating habits, drinking habits, and exercise habits, it is most likely that you will die far before me, Tony."

His eyebrows furrowed, "But, what if you get shot or stabbed on the job?"

"Then you will watch me die, yes?"

"Well, I… I mean, I guess so-"

"That is good," Ziva walked off, leaving Tony to wonder why he even asked the question to begin with.

* * *

He was ready. He had been thinking about it for a long time now… but he was sure that he was ready. He knew how to do it quick so it didn't hurt too much… He thought it over the entire time Ducky and Jimmy had taken their turns talking to him. They both told so many endless stories, and as long as Tim replied with a 'uh-huh' or a 'wow! Really?' every once in a while, he didn't actually have to listen.

"Timmy!" Abby said happily as she entered the lab, "I've missed you… and my lab."

Jimmy smiled as he exited the lab, "Bye, Abbs."

"Bye, Jimmy. So, Timmy, what have you been up to?" She asked, not realizing that it was a stupid question.

"Oh, pretty much the same thing as the last time we talked."

Now she realized it was a stupid question, "Right… of course."

_'Why, why, why does it have to be Abby's turn now?'_ He thought to himself, _'I'll just have to get her out of the room… She'll understand eventually. She'll know that I had no other choice.'_ "Abby?" He began, before he could change his mind, "Would you mind… uh, leaving the room for just a minute?"

"Why?"

"Cause, I need to, a, pee… And, if you're watching me I can't…"

"Oh, alright. I'll be right outside. Just, yell when you're done."

He nodded, "Okay."

He waited a moment. Long enough for her to be out of the room, "Abby?" He said quietly, making sure she wasn't still there.

With a pounding heart he picked up the knife, and slowly took off the cover. He felt the handle of the knife, it felt like it had been hand carved. His hands were shaking as he lifted the knife to his throat, _'Don't do it. Don't do it… I have to. There's no other way… Don't do it.'_

"Timothy McGee! What are you doing?" A familiar voice screamed.

Tim jumped, "Abby! You said you were leaving!" He yelled back.

"I lied! How dare you ever even think of doing something like that!"

"I have no other choice!"

Suddenly they were in a screaming match.

"Bull-"

"Don't yell at me!"

"I am going to yell at you! Don't tell me what to do!"

"Just leave the room, Abby!"

"No! No, I will never, ever, ever leave this room again! If you feel the need to kill yourself then you're just gonna have to do it right in front of me!"

"Abby!"

"I will move my entire life into this lab! I will pry my eyes open with paper clips during the night so I can keep my eyes on you!"

"Abby, shut up!"

"Don't tell me to shut-"

"I'm trying to tell you something important!"

Abby threw up her arms, "What!"

"What's on this knife?"

"What?"

"The knife, Abby! What's on the knife?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Humor me," He replied as he held up the knife, "Can you see it better where I'm holding it?"

"Yeah, keep it there." She looked at it for a moment, "Looks like hills, or…"

"Rocks?"

"Yeah, could be. Why?"

Tim searched for the knife cover, "Is there anything on this?" He asked as he lifted it into the camera's vision.

"No, nothing."

He turned it over, "What about this side?"

"Tim, tell me what this is about!"

"Just answer my question, Abby!" He cleared his throat, "Please."

She sighed, "Um… I see an R. C. and a T.."

"Rock Creek Trail," Tim mumbled.

"What?"

"Rock Creek Trail. Rock Creek Trail!"

"What about it?" Abby asked, becoming excited although she wasn't sure why.

"The water, the trail mix, and the knife. They weren't for me to survive or kill myself… Well, they were, but they were also clues, Abbs. That's where I am. I'm in Rock Creek Trail!"

"How- How did you figure that out?"

"I felt the handle and I noticed the carvings for the first time... I'm not really sure _how_, but it all clicked," He replied, "I could be wrong, but-"

"I'm getting Gibbs!" She exclaimed. She turned to leave the room, then froze and turned around, "I'm calling Gibbs… from my lab!"

Tim knew he shouldn't be getting over excited, but he couldn't help it. His heart was pounding, but for the first time in a long time, it wasn't out of fear.

_"Gibbs,"_ He answered at his desk.

"Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs! Get down here now! Bring Tony! Bring Ziva! Bring Derek!"

_"Abby, what's going on?"_

"Just get down here!" She hung up on him quickly, knowing that would make him come faster.

Not even thirty seconds later he, Tony, Ziva and Derek arrived.

"Talk, Abby," Gibbs demanded.

"Rock Creek Trail!" She squealed with a smile on her face.

They all looked at her with blank faces.

"Abby," Tim called out, "They're gonna need more than that."

"Oh, right! Timmy figured it out! He's buried somewhere in Rock Creek Trail. I'll explain how he figured it out later, but we need to get people out there and try to find him."

"How many miles is that trail?" Tony asked.

"Fourteen," Ziva replied.

"So he's buried somewhere off of a fourteen mile trail?" Tony questioned, "That's a lot of ground to cover."

"I don't care how much ground it is, it's a lot less than what we had before," Gibbs said.

"No, Tony's right," Abby said, "But I think Derek can make it a lot less ground to cover."

They all looked over at Derek, who seemed to not be able to take his eyes off of Tim.

"Derek!" Gibbs called out.

He jumped slightly, "Yeah?"

"Listen."

"Yes, sir- Gibbs."

"Since we've narrowed the area to Rock Creek Trail," Abby began, "Could that help you to find the signal where the feed is coming from?"

"Yeah," He replied instantly, "Just give me a minute… Can I use your computer?"

"Go ahead."

"We're gonna get you out, Tim," Gibbs said as he walked over to the other screen.

Tim nodded, "Yes, Boss."

"Okay, I think I've got something," Derek called out only moments later.

"What?" They all said at once.

"I was looking back from when we were trying to find the signal before, when it was bouncing all over the place. Well, I noticed that it bounced _over_ a certain area multiple times. I didn't think anything of it before because that happens sometimes and it usually means nothing."

"Where is it?" Tony asked.

"I can get the area down to an eight mile radius."

The area was circled on the computer. Everyone gathered around to look.

"Let's go!" Gibbs called out as he began to leave the room.

"Send it to my phone," Ziva said as she and Tony followed Gibbs out.

Derek did just as she said.

Abby focused her attention back on Tim, "Not much longer, Timmy. Not much longer."

* * *

**Please let me know what you think. Reviews are much appreciated.**

**They're like puppies and pistachios are to Abby ;)**

**I just watched an episode of NCIS with my mom and sister... Mom is already a huge fan, sister had never seen it before. Sister said it was boring... I was quite annoyed! No, I was VERY annoyed!**


	10. Rescue

Abby sat quietly in her lab as she watched over Tim. It had been two hours since the search had started, and neither of them had spoken a word to each other since she told him it wouldn't be much longer.

Abby was feeling a roller coaster of emotions. She was excited, then angry, then nervous and jittery, then back to excited. It seemed to keep going in circles. _'What if he would have done it?'_ She thought, _'What if I really would have left the room? How dare he think that he could just kill himself!'_

"Abby?" Tim said quietly, "Abby, are you listening to me?"

"Yes," She replied, anger clear in her tone.

"Are you alone?.. And be honest."

"Yes."

He took a deep breath, "Please don't tell them."

She remained silent.

"Abby, please don't let them know what I tried to do."

"They _need_ to know," She answered sadly.

"No, Abby, they don't. If they find out what I tried to do then… then they'll turn it into something more than it was."

"How could they possibly do that? You tried to kill yourself, Tim! The only way it could be turned into something more is if you actually did it!"

"But, I didn't," He replied, keeping his voice calm.

"Only because I was still in here. If I would have left the room like you had asked then I'd be staring at your corpse right now," Those last eight words brought her to tears.

"Abby, please. You don't understand what I was feeling. Just please don't tell them. They'll never look at me the same way again. They won't trust me. I'm the weakest member on the team and if they find out I tried to…" His voice trailed off, "They'll think I can't handle my job. They'll always be watching over me like I'm some baby."

"Maybe that's what you need," She replied.

"No, I don't. Listen, I just wasn't thinking clearly before, okay? It was stupid… Please, Abby… for me."

Abby thought for a moment as tears fell from her eyes, "I… I won't tell them. But, I will be watching you like a hawk!"

"I already figured that… Thank you, Abbs."

For some reason she felt like she needed a slap across the face more than she needed a 'thank you', "Yeah."

* * *

"I hate this," Ziva said as she and Tony walked through the woods.

"Which part?"

"All of it… but the searching is what I am speaking about right now. It would be nice to come out and just immediately find what we were looking for… instead of having to search for, what, four hours now?"

"Four hours, twenty-one minutes and twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fiftee-" He was cut off by a smack to the back of the head, "Boss! I didn't know you were there… I thought you were a mile over from our position?"

"I was… I'm not now."

"Makes sense."

"Gibbs, are you certain that we do not need some devices to help us locate the burial sight?" Ziva asked.

"He hasn't been buried long enough for grass to grow over the sight, Ziva. We'll see it."

Ziva sighed, "Twenty officers in the eight mile area and no one has found it yet."

"Give it time," Gibbs replied as he walked off from the two agents.

* * *

"Should I make noise?" Tim asked Abby, "Maybe they need to hear me."

"Why? Can you hear them?"

"No."

"Tim, just relax. They'll find you soon. You shouldn't use your hands right now anyway, they look terrible."

"I could yell."

Abby took a deep breath, "Just wait, Tim. It won't be much longer."

* * *

_One hour later…_

"So, I was sound asleep and the teacher comes over and starts banging on my desk with a ruler. Scared the sh-"

"Tony! Would you please shut your pipe hole!"

"It's _pie_ hole, Ziva."

She threw up her arms, "Whatever! They both go into the mouth, do they not?"

"Well, yeah, but that's not the point-"

"Shh! Just shh!"

"Why should I shh? It's not like we're trying to _hear_ where McGee is buried."

* * *

"Timmy, who was cooler: Thomas Edison or Thomas Jefferson?"

"What?" Tim asked. He was clearly confused by the question that came out of nowhere.

"Just wondering. Who's your pick?"

"I… I guess-" Tim stopped. He heard something. It was muffled voices. He suddenly began pounding on the box, ignoring the searing pain that his hands felt, "I'm here! I'm here!"

"Timmy, what are you doing?"

"I hear them. I'm here! I'm here!"

* * *

_"It's not like we're trying to hear where McGee is buried,"_ Tony pointed to his eyes, "We're trying to see it."

"Well, I would like to see it quietly."

"Ugh! You're such a-"

Ziva stopped walking and began looking around, "Tony, shut up."

"Rude."

"I am serious, Tony. I hear something."

Tony was quiet for a moment, "I hear it too. Where's it coming from?"

"…Below us," Ziva replied as she looked down. The area was thick with brush and leaves.

"Gibbs!" Ziva yelled, knowing he couldn't be far from them, "Gibbs! We found it!"

They immediately dropped to the ground and began pushing all of the leaves and brush away from the area.

"Tim!" Tony yelled, "Tim! We can hear you! We're coming! It's gonna be okay."

Tim could hear them, but he couldn't stop hitting the box and yelling. It was like he was afraid that if he stopped, they would go away and not find him.

Gibbs came running over along with some other officers who had shovels. Gibbs took one of the shovels, "Go back to the road," He told the officer, "The paramedics have been waiting since we arrived. Tell them they'll have a patient soon. They can't get through here, but we'll carry him out. Go, now!"

"Yes, sir," The officer ran off.

Gibbs and the other officer, Eric, began digging with the shovels, as Ziva and Tony dug with their hands. Eric had offered Ziva the shovel, but she didn't even hear him. She just continued digging.

"Help! I'm down here!" The blood from his hands began to run down his arms. The pain was almost unbearable, but he didn't stop, "I'm here!"

"We hear you, McGee," Ziva said, "We are digging as fast as we can. We will get you out."

"I've hit something!" Eric exclaimed.

"So have I," Gibbs said right afterwards.

"We're almost there, McGee," Tony yelled, "Almost there!"

Abby stood in her lab, her heart racing, and tears flowing down her face. She knew there was nothing she could say to stop Tim from doing the damage he was doing to himself, and seeing the blood running down his arms scared her. But, at the same time, she was so happy because she knew he was about to be rescued.

* * *

Ten minutes later the entire box was unburied. Officers were all standing around the area. "I want everyone back!" Gibbs yelled, "If you're not on my team, stand back!" The last thing he wanted was for Tim to feel crowded by people.

Tim was still violently banging on the box. Something that Tony, Ziva and Gibbs had tried to get him to stop doing the whole time they dug him up, but he didn't listen.

The officers stood back.

There was a latch on the top of the box. Gibbs put his hand on it, "When I pull this up, I do not want either of you to touch him, do you hear me? His eyes are going to be very sensitive so try and shield him from light as much as possible. It's not very bright out here, but it's brighter than it is inside of there. We ask him before we touch him, we ask him before we do anything. Understand?"

Both Ziva and Tony nodded. They knew that they needed to be cautious. Tim has been through a lot in a small amount of time and there was no telling what little thing could set him off.

"Boss, what if it's booby trapped?"

"I have not seen anything to suggest that, Tony," Ziva replied, "And, yes, I looked very carefully."

"Okay," Gibbs said, "On three I open the latch and we all pull open the box. One, two, three."

With one quick push, the box was open.

Tim's hands were still up in the hitting position. The light made him squeeze his eyes shut, but he quickly reopened them. He looked at the three agents kneeling in front of him and he couldn't believe they were actually there. Everything felt like it was in slow motion. Tears began to falling from his eyes. He put his bloody hands over his face as he cried. So many emotions hit him all at once. Joy, pain, fear, unbelief, relief, humiliation, and thankfulness. He couldn't control it, and he didn't even try.

None of the agents could believe what they saw… and smelled. Tim was in such a cramped area. It looked even smaller than what any of them had thought. The smell of urine was so strong that vomit came up in Ziva's throat.

"Tim. Tim, listen to me," Gibbs said calmly, keeping his emotions in check, "We're gonna have to carry you outta here, okay? We're gonna take you to the paramedics, they aren't too far away."

Tim didn't respond.

"I'm gonna move your hands away from your face, Tim. I need to see your face so I know you know what I'm saying."

Gibbs reached over and took Tim gently by the wrists. He pulled Tim's shaking hands down to his side. "Look at me, McGee."

Tim did as he was told.

"Good. Did you hear me? We're gonna carry you out."

"I… I can walk," Tim replied quietly. He tried to sit up, but he could barely even lift his head.

"Whoa, whoa, Probie. Don't go trying to do our jobs," Tony said, "Let us help."

"Ziva, you on one end, Tony, you on the other. I'll get in the middle… and be careful! Don't forget his head injury."

They nodded and did as they were told.

Gibbs counted to three and they lifted him up.

"Ah!" He yelled in pain.

"It is okay, Tim," Ziva said to comfort him as they began walking through the woods, "You are okay now."

"Everything hurts," He replied.

"I know it does. It is because you have not been able to move in a long time. We are on the way to the paramedics and then you will go to the hospital."

"Not alone!" He yelled, "Please, don't leave me there alone."

"We wouldn't do that, Probie," Tony replied.

"I'll go with you," Gibbs said, "They can meet us at the hospital."

"Abby… Make sure Abby knows."

"I will call her," Ziva reassured him.

The exhaustion of the past two days seemed to catch up to Tim right at that moment. After groaning in pain one last time, he passed out in his teammates arms.

* * *

**Okey-dokey! Hope you enjoyed chapter 10... Tim has been rescued!.. It can only get better from here... Right? ;) Muahahahaha**

***Clears throat* Anyway, I don't know if I'll update tomorrow cause I'm retaking the SAT's (not sure why cause I don't need to now, but mama doesn't want to lose her money lol)**

**Please, let me know what you think of the chapter! It helps me bunches!**


	11. The Hospital

Gibbs sat in the hospital room, watching Tim as he slept. He never woke up on the way to the hospital, not even when the paramedics inserted the IV. The doctor, Dr. Long, checked and bandaged his hands without a movement from him. Dr. Long told Gibbs that Tim passed out from exhaustion, which Gibbs already figured, and he probably wouldn't wake up for a day or so. Tim's head was hit pretty hard, but since he already made it passed the first twenty-four hours with the concussion, that was the least of the doctor's worries.

The fact that Tim might not wake up for a day or more didn't matter to Gibbs. Tim didn't want to be left alone, so Gibbs would not leave him alone.

Tony and Ziva entered the room quietly. They had had to stay back at the scene for a while before heading to the hospital. Gibbs looked up at them, but didn't speak.

"How is he?" Ziva asked in a whispered tone.

"Doctor says he'll be okay as long as his hands don't become infected. He might have to go to some physical therapy for his hands, but besides that, he'll be okay… physically."

"What about mentally?" Tony questioned.

Gibbs shrugged, "You'll know when I know." He looked back and forth between Tony and Ziva, "The doctor told me only family was allowed in the room. Who did you say you were?"

"I'm his brother," Tony replied. He looked over at Ziva and smiled, "And this is my foreign wife."

Ziva glared at him, "He is lucky I did not shove my boot up his a-"

"Let me guess," Tony interrupted, he pointed at Gibbs, "You're papa McGee?"

Gibbs shook his head, "Nope, I'm Gibbs… Tim's step-father."

Abby and Ducky came walking into the room. Abby had been running down the halls, but Ducky made her slow down, and she was now holding onto Ducky's hand.

"You two got here fast," Tony said as they walked over to the rest of the team. Ziva had waited until she and Tony were on the way to the hospital to call them.

"No traffic," Ducky replied.

Abby let go of Ducky's hand and walked over to Tim's side. Tears filled in her eyes, "He's gonna be okay, isn't he, Gibbs?"

Gibbs stood up and went over to her. He put his arm around her, "He'll be fine."

Abby rested her hand on Tim's forehead, then she began gently stroking his hair, "He looks so small lying here. I hate the man that did this to him."

"We all do, Abbs."

"So, how'd you two get in?" Tony asked curiously.

"Well, I am the dear boy's grandfather," Ducky replied, "And Abigail is his wife."

Tony smiled slyly, "I can't wait for McTim to wake up now. Just wait till he hears he's McMarried."

"Tony, will you ever grow up?" Ziva asked.

"Never ever," Tony replied without hesitation.

Just then a nurse walked into the room. She stopped at the doorway and looked around at each person, "This looks like a lot more than our two visitors in a room limit."

"Everybody meet Nurse Hastings," Gibbs said with a small smile. They had had the pleasure of meeting just a little after Gibbs arrived with McGee.

They all plastered smiles on their faces, "Hello."

"Hi. Now, let me guess… You're all Agent McGee's family?"

They nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Well, I'm going to need all of you to shuffle out of here and let me check Agent McGee's bandages and IV. Plus, visiting hours are almost over anyway."

Tony walked over to Ziva and put his arm around her, "Let's go, honey. We can come back tomorrow."

She gritted her teeth, "Alright, poopy."

"It's poopsie."

"I know."

Ducky walked over to Gibbs, "I am going to find the doctor and go over Timothy's condition with him."

"Take Abby with you," Gibbs replied.

Abby looked away from McGee and at Gibbs, "I'm not leaving! I can't. I just got here. What if he wakes up? What if h-"

"Abbs," Gibbs interrupted, "Go home, get some sleep, come back in the morning. You can sit with him for a while."

"Do I have to go?" She asked sadly.

"Abigail," Ducky began, "You can come with me to talk to the doctor and then I will drive you home. Timothy is resting, and you should be too. You can come visit-" He paused as he looked at Nurse Hastings face, "Your husband, tomorrow."

She sighed, "Okay. But I will be back bright and early," She warned, "Like really bright… sun's up and I'm here!"

Gibbs gave her a hug and kissed her cheek, then she reluctantly took Ducky's hand and they left.

The nurse stared at Gibbs.

"I'm not leaving," He said sternly.

"And I suppose I couldn't _make_ you go?"

"In a body bag… maybe."

She sighed, but gave him a small smile, "Then would you please step back so I can check the patient?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Gibbs replied as he walked back to the chair and sat down.

"So, what are you to Agent McGee?" Nurse Hastings asked as she began to check Tim's hands.

"I'm his step-father."

She glanced over at him, "I've been working as a nurse for over thirty years. I can tell you aren't related to him… Don't worry, I won't tell a soul."

Gibbs smiled, "I'm his boss."

"His boss? I don't think I've ever seen a boss come an stay with an employee like this."

"It comes with the job. You get closer than you would in other jobs."

She placed a hand on her hip, "Honey, you may have forgotten, but you're at Bethesda. I deal with Agents from every agency that exist in DC and I've never met a boss like you. Sure we have the ones who come and visit for hours at a time, but none that would stay overnight with only a chair to sleep in."

Gibbs took a deep breath, "My team is my family… every single one of them."

The nurse smiled and continued her work. One she was done she walked over to Gibbs, who had gone back to watching McGee, and placed a hand on his cheek, "I guess I was was wrong this time, honey. You are his step-father… Have a good night. Nurses and the doctor may be coming in periodically, but you just rest."

"Thanks."

* * *

Gibbs was sound asleep with his legs propped up on the hospital bed. His head was leaning back in a position that he would come to regret when he woke up.

"No, no, no,no…" Tim began to whisper in his sleep, "Get me out." The whispering became louder, "Get me out. Get me out! Get me out!"

Gibbs eyes popped open and, as soon as he realized what was going on, he jumped up and ran over to Tim, "McGee. McGee, wake up."

Tears began to fall out of Tim's closed eyes, "Please, get me out!"

Gibbs took a hold of Tim's shoulder, "McGee! Wake up!"

Tim's eyes opened quickly and he gasped. He began looking around the room, "Where am I?"

"You're at the hospital," Gibbs replied as he slowly let go of Tim, "You've been here since yesterday evening."

Tim looked at Gibbs strangely, as though he was putting everything together in his mind, "You… You saved me. You, Tony, and Ziva… you found me."

"Yeah."

"I… I was buried in some sort of box."

Gibbs nodded, "But you're fine now."

Tim went to rub his eyes, but stopped when he noticed the bandages covering his hands, "I did this," He said in a sort of awe.

"When you were trying to get out."

"It hurts."

"Does anything else hurt?"

Tim thought for a moment, "My head, and… my legs ache… My whole body aches."

"That's probably from barely being able to move for almost forty-eight hours."

"Forty-eight? That's it?"

"I'm sure it seemed like a lot more."

Tim nodded, "A whole lot more."

"You want me to call the nurse and get you some pain meds? It'll help you sleep."

"No," He answered quickly, "No, I don't want it."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

Gibbs had a look of concern on his face. Tim was being so monotone and emotionless. He had stopped crying the second he woke up and he never acknowledged the tears, or the nightmare.

His thoughts were interrupted by someone stepping into the room. "Abby? What are you doing here? It's four in the morning." Gibbs asked as she stood in the doorway.

"I couldn't sleep. How's-" She looked over at Tim, "He's awake!" She ran over to him, "Timmy, how are you? Can I give you a hug?"

He looked up at her, "I'm okay. Yes, you can."

His short and direct answers confused her. She expected him to be filled with enthusiasm and joy. She smiled, hiding her true feelings, and embraced him in a warm hug. It took him a moment before he returned it, but he finally did, giving her a small squeeze, "Ow!"

She pulled back, "I'm sorry. What did I do?"

He shook his head, "Nothing, nothing. It's just my hand. I'm fine."

"Are you sure, Timmy?"

He smiled at her for a moment, showing his first emotion since he woke, "Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks for the hug."

"Anytime, Timmy."

Just as soon as the emotion came, it went. He looked down at his hands and stared, ignoring both Gibbs and Abby's watchful eyes.

Abby walked over to Gibbs, "He seems so… different," She whispered.

"He's been through a lot, Abbs," Gibbs replied, "Just give it some time."

Abby took a deep breath. She hated keeping such a big secret from Gibbs. She knew he needed to know what Tim tried to do, but she had told Tim she wouldn't tell... and she didn't want to hurt her Timmy either. She just hoped that _not_ telling wasn't hurting Tim even more.

* * *

**So, it took me an hour to go through all of my reviews last night... Funnest hour EVER! You guys are so amazing! Thank you for reviewing.**

**And yes, I did say I probably wouldn't write today, but I ended up not taking the SAT. My mom decided it would be pointless because I already got the score I needed from the ACT. So, whether i went or not, it would be a waste of money. So, I wrote half of this chapter until 1:30 this morning, and the rest of it from 9-11:30 this morning. Please review and let me know what you think!**


	12. Hawk Watching

Tim never went back to sleep, and neither did Gibbs. Abby, however, was out within ten minutes of sitting down beside Tim's bed. She laid her hand over Tim's wrist, so she didn't hurt his bandaged hand, and rested her head on the side of the bed… and then she fell sound asleep.

Tim didn't talk, or move, for the rest of the night. He just sat there, staring down at the sheet that covered over him, as though he was embarrassed to look anywhere else.

Gibbs took a couple of walks to the cafeteria to get coffee, but besides that he sat in the room, looking out the window, wondering if Tim would ever say anything.

* * *

Tony and Ziva came quietly walking into the room.

Tony smiled when he saw Tim was awake, "Hey, Probie. What's up?" He asked in a whispered tone so he didn't disturb Abby.

Tim looked over at them, "Tony, Ziva, what are you two doing here?"

"We wanted to see you before work," Ziva replied, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good… My hands are pretty messed up, but other than that, I'm fine."

Abby began to wake up. She lifted her head and rubbed her eyes before looking over and seeing Tony and Ziva, "Hey, guys!"

"Hi, Abbs."

"Where is Gibbs?" Ziva asked a she looked around.

"He just went for his third cup of coffee," Tim replied, "He's been trying to not be awkward since I woke up… I haven't really been talking much."

"You seem to be talking just fine now," Ziva replied.

"Yeah, I guess I was just thinking before… Until you two came in."

"Yes, Tony does have that effect on people."

Tony hissed at her, then turned his attention back to Tim, "How's the light treating your eyes?"

"I actually haven't paid that much attention to it, but now that you mention it, it is kind of bright in here."

Abby got up, "I'll shut the shades for you."

"Thanks, Abbs."

Tony suddenly got a very devious smile on his face. He walked over closer to Tim's bed, "Guess who's married?"

"Who?"

"You."

"What?"

Tony nodded, "Family is all that's allowed in this room, so Abby told one of the nurses that she was your wife. You're a McAbby now. Congratulations."

Ziva rolled her eyes, "You are so pathetic, Tony."

A small smile swept across Tim's face. He looked over at Abby who was standing back by the window, "You really said that?"

"Well, I had to come up with something. I couldn't say you were my brother because of…" Her voice trailed off as she glanced at Tony and Ziva, "Well, you know why. That would have been weird."

"Yeah, I get it."

Tony looked intrigued, "I wanna know why… Tell me!"

"Shut up, Tony," Ziva warned under her breath.

"Sorry," He cleared his throat.

"It's okay, Tony," Tim replied, "It's nice to hear, and see, you be… well, you."

Tony smiled, "Aw! He really likes me… I knew it."

Ziva shook her head, "I hate to break up this love fest, but we need to go, Tony."

"Ugh, fine. I'll be back later, McGoober. Bye, Abbs."

"Bye Tony," They both replied.

"See you both later. I am glad you are well, McGee," Ziva said with a smile.

Tim smiled, "Thanks, Ziva. See you later."

Abby walked back over to Tim, "You seem more chipper than you were a few hours ago."

"Yeah, I guess I was still kind of in shock at first… I feel a little better now that I've seen most of the team."

"That's good."

Tim nodded, "So… do you know when I can get out of here?"

She raised an eyebrow, "The hospital? You haven't even been here twenty four hours, Timmy."

"I know… I just hate it."

"No one likes hospitals, Tim, but you can't leave until the doctor says so… and I doubt he's gonna let you leave right now. I say, if your hands don't become infected, forty-eight hours and you'll be able to blow this pop stand."

Tim sighed, "I just want to get back to work."

"That'll probably be even longer."

"Why?"

"...Cause you can't use your hands and you have to go to the mandatory psych evaluation first-"

"What?" Tim replied in disbelief, "I have to go to that? I don't need a psych eval.."

"Uh, yeah, you do."

"It was two days, Abby. That's it. And I wasn't even awake for some of the time. I'm fine."

"It's protocol," Gibbs said as he walked into the room, carrying two cups of coffee and a Caf-Pow. He sat one of the coffees on the tray by Tim's bed, handed the Caf-Pow to Abby, and took a sip of his coffee.

"It's unnecessary," Tim replied.

Gibbs shrugged, "Doesn't matter. Gotta do it either way."

Tim leaned his head back on his pillow, "I'm tired."

"Get some sleep. I need to go into work for a while. I'll be back later," Gibbs turned to Abby, "Need a ride, Abbs?"

"No, I drove here, but I'm not leaving."

"Abby, I'll be fine, you can go," Tim replied.

Abby ignored Tim and spoke to Gibbs, "I already called Director Vance and told him I'd be taking some time off. My temporary replacement should already be at work. I'm staying." She said the last two parts louder than necessary to make sure Tim heard.

Gibbs nodded, "Okay." He walked over to her and kissed her cheek, told Tim goodbye, then left.

Abby sat back down in the chair.

Tim looked over at her, "Abby, really, you don't have to stay."

"I told you before, Timmy, I'm gonna watch you like a hawk. This is me, hawk-watching."

"This is going to get annoying fast."

"I don't care. Now close your eyes and go to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

Tim wanted to protest, and he didn't _want_ to sleep, but he was still exhausted from the long previous two days… He turned his head to face away from Abby and slowly fell asleep.

* * *

Gibbs' ride to work was filled with thoughts of concern and suspicion. He knew something was up. He could tell that Abby was hiding something. He knew Tim was hiding things too, but he also knew Tim was probably hiding a lot of things about when he was in that box… It was Abby that bothered him though. She didn't have to say anything, or even be awake for him to realize that there was just something she was hiding… and Gibbs hated not knowing.

* * *

**Short chapter, I know... I just hate writing hospital scenes. I don't know why, I've just never liked it. I need to get used to it cause basically all of my stories end up at the hospital at some point.**

**And yes, I had to put the McAbby in there. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up ;)**

**Anyway, let me know what you think of chapter 12!**


	13. The Night

Two days later Tim was released from the hospital. His doctor had told him that he'd need someone to change the bandages on his hands every four hours… Abby immediately declared that as her job, saying that she'd stay with Tim until he could bandage his hands by himself.

During the two days in the hospital, Abby only left twice to go home and change clothes. Both times she made sure that someone from the team would be with him the entire time she was gone.

Although Tim did enjoy _being_ with Abby, having her around almost constantly did get old, but he kept those feelings to himself. He figured that the calmer and more reserved he remained, the quicker he'd get to start back at work.

Gibbs had offered for Tim to stay with him, but just the thought of that left Tim with a nervous feeling. He politely declined, and then Abby made sure Gibbs knew that she'd be with him.

Tony and Ziva had gone to his house, while he was in the hospital, and they cleaned everything up. He still had no computer, or typewriter, but at least his place was no longer a mess.

* * *

Tim sighed as he and Abby entered his apartment, "You really don't have to sta-"

She held up a finger, "Don't even think of finishing that sentence, Timmy. It would be pointless. I'm staying and that's that."

"Okay, fine," He replied, realizing there was no point to argue, "But you don't have any clothes or… anything."

"Ziva is stopping by my place after work. I told her what all I would need and she's gonna bring it by."

"Great. That's… great."

Abby looked around, "So, what do you want to do?"

"Take a shower." Tim passed by Abby and walked into his bedroom.

"You have to put bags over your hands," She said as she followed him.

He turned around to face her, "What?"

"You remember what Dr. Long said, he doesn't want the bandages, or your hands, to get wet."

Tim rolled his eyes, "Fine! I'll get some bags."

"I'll get them for you. Where are they?"

"Under the sink."

"Okay."

Tim went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He didn't appear to look much different, just a little darker under the eyes, but he didn't feel like himself. He looked down at his hands, he had only seen them a few times without the bandages, and they looked… horrible, to say the least. They looked so raw and they would begin to bleed so easily. He remembered what happened to make them that way, all too well. Banging on that box, for what seemed like weeks. Every time he closed his eyes he felt like he was back there. The only time he slept was when exhaustion took over and forced him to sleep. Abby didn't know this… no one did. Each night when Abby went to sleep at the hospital, Tim lied awake, waiting for the sun to rise, waiting for there to be light. He hated the dark now, but he didn't talk about it. If he talked about it, the rest of the team might not think he's ready to come back to work.

"Here you go," Abby said as she came walking into the bathroom, two bags and two rubber bands in hand.

"Thanks." He took the bags and rubber bands and laid them on the counter.

Abby remained standing in the bathroom. Tim looked over at her, "Thank you," He repeated more directly.

"You're welcome."

"I'm gonna get my shower now."

"Alright," She didn't move.

"…I've gotta take off my clothes now."

Still, no movement.

"So, you're gonna watch… or what?"

"Can I trust you to be in here alone?"

Tim sighed, "Yes, Abby, you can."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Abby thought for a moment, "Okay, I'll leave. But, if you're not out of here in a certain amount of time, I'm coming in." She turned around and walked out of the room.

"How much time?" He called out to her.

"That's for me to know."

* * *

Ziva unlocked Abby's door and made her way inside, "I do not understand why you had to come with me, Tony."

"Because, Ziva, it gives me the chance to see Probie when you drop the clothes off… _and_ it gives me a chance to see Abby's apartment."

"We are just here to pick up some of her things. I would advise that you do not snoop around too much."

"Why not? This is the perfect opportunity."

"Abby would notice if something that should not be touched, was touched. She can also kill you wi-"

"Without leaving forensic evidence. Yes, I know. But, I'm not going to touch anything… I'm just gonna look."

"Ha!" Ziva replied, "That would be a first."

Tony glared at her, then continued to look around.

"I am going to pack Abby's things," Ziva said, "Try not to break anything."

Tony followed her into Abby's bedroom, "Whoa, she still has the coffin! This thing is so… weird!"

Ziva pulled Abby's suitcase out from her closet, "Tony, would you help me find her boot case?"

"Uh, it's _suitcase_, and you're holding it."

"No, it is a _boot_ case… to hold her boots. She told me it was in her closet, but it is not."

"A boot case? Seriously?"

Ziva shrugged, "That is what she said."

Tony sighed, "Okay, I'll help. But I'm gonna snoop at the same time."

"Of course… So, how long do you think it will be before McGee starts back at work?"

"Not sure. He can't type or carry a weapon, so I'm not sure what he'd do. Plus, he's gotta go to the psych eval.."

"He can still talk and put clues together. Gibbs does not ever type and he solves cases all the time... Do you think the psych evaluation will not go well?"

Tony shrugged, "It should. He seems to be doing okay," Tony opened a linen closet, "Here we go," He pulled out a case with the word 'boots' written on it, "I'm guessing this is what we're looking for."

* * *

Tim lied in his bed, waiting to hear the soft sounds of snoring coming from Abby. He knew that once she made that sound, she was out of it.

Tim had offered to sleep on the floor, but she said no one would be sleeping on the floor. They were both adults and they could sleep together without it being weird… She was right, it wasn't weird. They had, after all, slept together before. The only problem was that Tim _couldn't_ sleep. It was so dark in his room. The only light was from a street light that barely shined through his window. He also hated being under the covers. He could make excuses at the hospital, saying it was too hot in the room, but now he was at home… the temperature could be whatever he wanted.

He heard the snoring and sighed in relief. He gently got up out of bed and walked into his living room, shutting his bedroom door behind him.

He turned on his desk lamp, and sat down in his computer chair... then he remembered that he had no computer, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to type. He groaned in agitation. He looked around for a moment, then decided to pick out a book to re-read… this was going to be another long, sleepless night.

* * *

**I'm so happy with the reviews I've gotten. You guys are so nice :) Thank you so much!**

**So, we get a new promo tomorrow (Well, at least in America we do)! I'm excited... I would be more excited if it were an actual episode... but a promo is good too :)**

**Anyway, let me know what you guys think of the chapter!**


	14. The Stairs

It was eight in the morning when Abby woke up. She hadn't slept that late in a long time. She turned over, expecting Tim to be lying there, and when he wasn't, she panicked. She jumped out of bed and jerked open the door. She let her heart return to her chest when she saw him sitting in his computer chair, reading.

"How long have you been up?" She asked as she yawned.

He turned around in his chair, "Only about a half hour. Good morning, Abbs."

She smiled, "Good morning, Timmy."

"You want breakfast? I have cereal or… cereal."

"Oh, tough decision," She replied as she passed by him and went into the kitchen, "I think I'll go with cereal."

"Good choice."

"You want some?"

"No, I'm not hungry." Tim sat his book down and walked into the kitchen. He leaned up against the counter, "I called the director when I woke up. I got an appointment for my psych evaluation today at three."

"Wow. That's… fast. You sure you don't want to wait a while?"

Tim shook his head, "I just want to get back to work. I may not be able to do field work, or use a computer for a while, but I can still help solve cases, right?"

Abby nodded, "Right. You just… you've been through a lot, Tim. I figured you might want to rest for a few days before jumping back into work."

"No need. I'm ready to go back now."

"Okay." She finished fixing her cereal, then went into the living room and sat down in Tim's desk chair.

Tim followed behind her, eyeing her closely.

She looked up at him, "What?"

He folded his arms, "You don't think I'm ready, do you?"

"That's not for me to decide, Timmy."

"I don't care whether it's up to you to decide, I want to know what you think."

She sighed and sat her cereal bowl down, "I think that I watched you fall apart during those forty-eight hours. It took a toll on me, and I was just watching… You had to actually_ go_ through it, Timmy."

"I knew it! You think I'm weak."

"I never said that!" She replied, clearly offended, "I don't think you're weak at all. What I do think is that I watched you almost kill yourself, and then just a few days later you're telling me that you're ready to jump right back into work like nothing happened! That's something I don't think you should do."

"I'm not pretending like nothing happened, Abby. I'm… I'm just moving on from it. It's a part of the past now."

"It wasn't even five full days ago, Tim… and you just got out of the hospital yesterday."

"Well, would you like me to sit around for a week or so, doing nothing except thinking about the past? Is that what you want?"

Abby stood up, "What I want is for you to quit talking to me like this. You're not even sounding like yourself," She pointed at him, "And if this is just some plan to get me out of your apartment then you can just forget it. I'm not leaving."

"I didn't think you would. You're stubborn like that."

"Yes, I am."

They stood there, just glaring at one another. Abby had no idea why Tim suddenly blew up at her, and Tim wasn't quite sure either.

"I'm gonna go get dressed," Tim said after about a minute of silence. He began to walk off.

"Not until I re-bandage your hands."

Tim stopped and sighed. He pulled out his computer chair and sat down.

Abby got everything she'd need, then came back over to him. He held out his right arm and she began to take the bandage off. When she got to the last layer, the one right on the skin, he gritted his teeth, then groaned in pain.

"Sorry, but it's gonna hurt no matter what."

"I know. It's fine."

"I just… I hate seeing you hurting and now I'm the one causing the pain, so-"

"You didn't cause this," Tim replied, much calmer than he was before, "You're helping me right now, Abbs… You're helping me, and I was being nothing but a jerk. I'm sorry."

She shook her head, "Don't worry about it, Timmy," She smiled, "We're bound to get on each others nerves some times."

It was silent for a moment before Abby continued, "I hope you pass the psych evaluation… I mean that." She finished re-wrapping his right hand, then started on the left.

"Thanks, I hope so too… I've been through it before, after coming back from Somalia, so I don't see it being a problem."

Abby got a sly smile on her face, "You know what this means, Timmy?"

"What?"

"Well, since you obviously can't operate heavy machinery… I get to drive your porsche."

* * *

Tony rushed over to Ziva's desk, "Did you hear?"

"Hear what, Tony?"

"McNerd is coming in today."

"McGee? This soon?"

Tony nodded, "Yupp, I accidentally overheard Director Vance on the phone with him this morning. He should be here," Tony looked at his watch, "In like twenty minutes."

"I am glad that he is doing so well, so fast... All I keep thinking about is him during his first talk with Ducky. That was… bad."

"Yeah it was. But, you know team Gibbs," Tony stood up straight and sucked in his gut, "We recover quickly from anything that tempts to harm us."

Ziva laughed, "Just last week I pinched your arm, and you still complain about that."

Tony placed his hand over the area which she had pinched, "I have nightmares about it still."

"I am sure you do."

* * *

Abby pressed the up button on the elevator. She looked over and noticed that Tim looked very nervous, "You okay?"

He nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just… I think I'm gonna take the stairs."

"Why?"

"I just feel like walking... It probably has something to do with your insane driving."

"Hey, you're over-reacting."

"You were going ninety at one point."

"Well, in my car you have to push down hard on the gas to get it over _forty_," She defended.

""Mhm." The elevator doors opened and Abby stepped inside, "I'll be in my lab, making sure the temp hasn't destroyed everything. Just let me know when you're ready to go."

Tim smiled, "Okay."

Abby had decided it was best to give him some space. If, in less than twenty-four hours since leaving the hospital, they were already getting on each others nerves, she knew she need to loosen up a bit… Plus, she hated taking the stairs.

Tim let out a deep breath once the elevator doors closed. He hated that he lied to Abby, but he just couldn't tell her that the thought of being in an elevator scared him.

He made his way to the stairs and slowly began walking up. He hoped he didn't look as tired as he felt. If the psychiatrist thought he wasn't getting enough rest, then he definitely wouldn't be allowed to come back to work yet.

It was as though he felt that work would be a quick fix for him. That the moment he got back to his routine, those horrifying two days would just disappear into oblivion.

* * *

Once the psych evaluation was over, Tim decided he better stop by and see the team. He knew he'd never hear the end of it from Tony, or Ziva, if he didn't.

"Hey, guys," He said as he walked into the bullpen.

"Probie! We had no idea you'd be dropping by, did we, Ziva?"

Ziva glared at him, then looked at Tim, "Tony's big ears picked up on the director's phone conversation with you this morning."

"Thanks so much, Ziva," Tony replied sarcastically.

"You are welcome, Tony." Ziva got up from her desk and walked over to Tim, "May I give you a hug, McGee?"

"Of course," He replied with a smile.

"How did the evaluation go?" She asked, once the hug ended.

"Not sure. I'll probably hear about it sometime tomorrow."

"The waiting's the worst part," Tony said, "I hate the waiting."

"Me too."

Tony stood up and went over to Tim, "I'm sure you did just fine, McGreenEyes," He told him as he patted him on the shoulder.

"McGreenEyes?"

Tony shrugged, "It's all I could think of at the moment."

Gibbs quickly entered the bullpen, "We've got a case in- McGee… what are you doing here?"

"Psych eval was today."

"Today? That's quick."

"So I've been told… Uh, where's the case at?"

It was if though Gibbs had forgotten about it once he saw Tim. He returned to getting his badge and gun out of his desk, "Quantico. A Gunny's wife and two kids were found dead."

Tony and Ziva began to get their gear, "What happened to them?" Tony asked.

"Not sure. Let's go!" Gibbs patted Tim's shoulder as he walked to the elevator, his way of saying 'good to see you. Goodbye'.

"Later, Probster."

"Goodbye, McGee."

"Bye," He called out as they ran off.

"You don't know how they were killed, Boss?" Tony questioned as the elevator began to descend, "I thought that was always one of the first things you asked when you get a call."

"It is, and I did."

"I don't understand. Why did you say th-"

"They were _buried_ in their backyard, DiNozzo. Understand now?"

Tony tried not to feel like he had just shoved his foot in his mouth, "Yes, boss."

"Good."

* * *

**I swear that the chapters will become more exciting, but I hate rushed stories so I've made a vow to myself to never do that (or at least try not to). **

**Reviews help a lot, just so I know what you guys think of the story so far. So, to those who have, and continue to review, thank you. And to those who haven't... _*Said in Gibbs' voice*_ What are you waiting for? _*End Gibbs' voice*_**

**Again, I thank you. :)**


	15. Worry

The next day, Tim got a call from Director Vance, informing him that he was allowed to resume duties the following day.

The second he got off of the phone he gave Abby a big hug and told her the news. She smiled and congratulated him, but she still worried in the back of her mind. Everything just seemed to be happening too easily… and that left her with an _uneasy_ feeling.

* * *

The next morning Tim and Abby got ready for work. Abby figured that since Tim was going back now, she might as well go back now too.

They had gotten in each others way only about dozen times so far. But, no matter how annoying it got, they both remained calm.

"You okay, Timmy?" Abby asked after he had been in the bathroom for a unusually long time.

"Yeah, I… I'm fine."

"No, you're not. I can tell… You can't lie to me, Timmy."

Tim sighed,_ 'If you only knew,'_ He thought. He opened the bathroom door, "I can't get my shirt buttoned."

"Oh… I can do it." She motioned for him to walk over to her, "Come here?"

He took a couple of steps forward and she began to button him up, "I got my shoe laces tied, my pants buttoned, and my belt on, but my hands started to hurt and I couldn-"

"Tim, you don't have to explain… Besides, doing as much as you did by yourself is a good thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when we were leaving the hospital you had to have the nurse help you put on all of your clothes. The fact that you did almost everything by yourself means that your hands are getting better… There, all done."

"Thanks."

* * *

Gibbs made his way down to autopsy. He had gotten to work early, expecting no one to be in, but he saw Ducky's car in the parking lot. He decided it would be a good time to talk to him without being interrupted.

"Jethro, what brings you down to my neck of the woods at this hour?"

"Wanted to talk."

Ducky waited for a moment, "About?"

"McGee comes back to work today."

"Yes, I heard." Ducky noticed the expression on Gibbs' face, "I see that you do not take this as a good thing?"

Gibbs shrugged, "Not sure. He went through a lot in those forty-eight hours, Duck."

"That he did… However, I suggest we let him have a chance to show whether or not he is back on his own two feet, before we decide for ourselves."

"So, I should watch over him?"

"That would not be a bad idea… but not too much. You don't want him to think that you don't believe in him."

Gibbs nodded.

Ducky thought the conversation was over, but Gibbs didn't move, "Is there something more?"

"Abby."

"Abigail? What about her?"

"She's hiding something from me."

Ducky's eyebrows furrowed, "Abigail tells you everything. Why ever would she hide something?"

Gibbs shook his head, "I don't know. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with McGee."

"Ah," Ducky replied as he came into realization.

"What?"

"Well, it is obvious that those two have always been very close, Jethro. If Abby would keep something hidden from you, Timothy is possibly the only one she would do that for."

Gibbs rubbed his eyes, "Thanks, Duck."

"You are quite welcome, Jethro."

Gibbs left out of the room.

Ducky sighed, "Although I'm not sure I was very helpful."

* * *

Tim entered into an empty bullpen. He took a deep breath and sat down at his desk. He had decided to come in about twenty minutes early, so he could have a little time to himself before Tony and Ziva arrived. Abby had also wanted to come in early, claiming that the temp probably mistreated her babies so she'd need to run diagnostics on them.

Tim propped his elbows up on his desk, and laid his head in his hands. He was so tired. He hadn't slept since he had gotten home from the hospital. Each night he would do the same thing of sitting in his computer chair and reading. Sometimes, his eyes would close while he was reading, and he'd doze off for a few minutes… but he would quickly re-awaken, the darkness of closed eyes was just too much to handle.

"McGee!" Gibbs exclaimed.

Tim jumped slightly. He had no idea Gibbs was standing over his desk, and apparently had been for a little while… Falling asleep with your eyes open was not a good way to start back at work, "Hi, Boss," He said with a nervous smile.

"I called your name three times, McGee. You okay?"

Tim nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just… looking at my computer screen and I must not have noticed you. Sorry."

"The screen is blank, McGee."

"I… I know. I was waiting for it to turn on, but it doesn't look like it's going to. I- I guess I need to press the on button again."

Gibbs shrugged, "Or you can just hit it, like I do. Seems to work for me."

"Uh, thanks… I'll keep that in mind."

A few seconds later Tony came walking out of the elevator, "McGee, McPunctual, McButtercup, McAOL, McBookWorm! Welcome back!"

"Hey, Tony. I see you thought of a few new nicknames."

"They're not nicknames, McGee, they're _Mc_Nicknames."

"Of course they are."

Tony sat his things down at his desk, then walked over to Tim, "I never thought I'd say this and don't ever make me repeat it, it's good to have you back."

Tim smiled, "Good to be back."

Tony went back to his desk and sat down just as Ziva came out of the elevator, "Tony! You could not have held the elevator door for me? I know you saw me coming."

"That was you? Sorry, I wasn't sure who it was."

"You are such a lying little- McGee, you are here!"

"Yes, I am."

"It is good to see you. You would have held the elevator for me, yes?"

_'I can't even take the elevator.'_ Tim nodded, "Yes, I would have."

Ziva pointed at him, "That is because you are a gentleman…" She looked at Tony, "Unlike some other people I know."

Tim watched in silence as Tony and Ziva's argument continued. Everything seemed to be going back to normal. Tony and Ziva bickering, and Gibbs ignoring everything… Things were going to go right back to where they were before.

* * *

Tim's first day back was uneventful. There was no new case. The team had already closed the case from two days before… The Gunny had killed his own family, then buried them in the backyard.

However, even with the lack of a case and not much work to do, Tim was practically a walking zombie by night time. As he got into bed he barely remembered taking a shower just fifteen minutes earlier. His stomach growling reminded him that he hadn't eaten dinner, but he didn't want to eat.

Tim and Abby got into bed. Tim hated putting the sheets over him, they felt suffocating, but it was easier to deal with that then to explain to Abby why he slept on top of his bed.

"Goodnight, Timmy."

"G'night, Abbs."

As Abby drifted off to sleep she turned over towards Tim and put her arm around him.

_'You've got to be kidding me,'_ He thought, _'How am I supposed to get up now?'_

He figured he'd just have to lie awake all night, but soon his eyes were protesting against his wishes to remain awake. He soon fell asleep, unable to stay awake any longer.

* * *

Abby looked over at the clock, it was 2am. They had only been asleep for four hours. Tim was flailing around in bed… it was his kicking that had woken her up in the first place.

"Tim… Timmy!"

"No, no, no. Get me out! Get me out!"

Abby was getting scared, "Timmy, wake up!"

Tim started swinging his arms around, "Get me out! I want out!"

Abby grabbed his arms and began shaking him, "Tim! Wake up!"

Tim's eyes popped open and he gasped.

"You're okay, Timmy."

"I… I was having a nightmare."

"I know."

"What time is it?"

"A little after two."

Tim was still gasping for breath. His heart was pounding and he had a headache now too, "I need to get up. Let go."

Abby realized she was still holding him down, "Sorry," She said as she let go and sat back on the bed, "Are you okay?"

He quickly pushed the covers off of him and got out of bed, "I'm fine. I just… I need to go to the bathroom. Go back to sleep."

"Tim, are you sure you're-"

"Abby, really, I'm okay. I'll be back in a few minutes. Just go back to sleep."

Abby sighed. She knew Tim wasn't fine… but she also knew that no matter how much she wanted to give him the biggest hug possible, it was clear that he wanted to be left alone.

Tim shut the bathroom door behind him. He shut down the toilet seat lid and sat down. He leaned over with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. There was no way he'd be going back to sleep tonight. The nightmare seemed so real. He felt like he was really back in that box, fighting to get out. It was terrifying. He wanted more than anything to tell someone, but he didn't want them thinking he was weak. Bad things happened to his teammates all the time, and they always came right back to work and seemed to have no problems.

He sat in the bathroom for three hours, silently letting the tears fall from his eyes.

* * *

**Have I mentioned that I love you guys? Cause I do. Every e-mail I get saying I have a new review, or any sort of alert, makes me smile. I'm so happy you guys are enjoying this story and I hope you continue to enjoy it until the end (Whenever that is).**

**For those of you who have seen the promo for next weeks episode, what do you think? I think it's going to be a very intense episode. I can't wait for it!**


	16. The Basement

Abby stayed up the rest of the night, unable to stop her mind from thinking about Tim. She got up over a half a dozen times and stood at the other side of the bathroom door. She would make sure she heard him making some sort of noise, then she would go back and lie down. She wanted to burst through the door, tell him off for not being more open with her, then throw her arms around him and give him the biggest hug she could manage… But, she didn't, knowing that that was probably the last thing he wanted right now.

* * *

Tim looked at his watch. It was a little past five in the morning. He couldn't believe he had been sitting in there for three hours. He got up and looked in the mirror. His eyes were red and puffy, and he looked like he had been crying… which he had… but he didn't want Abby to know.

He turned on the sink and splashed some water on his face a few times, but when that didn't work he figured he'd just take a shower before coming out of the bathroom.

Tim realized that was a bad idea a little too late. He didn't have any clothes to change into, so he ultimately had to put his pajamas back on. He hated doing that… putting clothes back on after taking them off, without washing them in-between, was one of his pet peeves.

Tim expected Abby to still be asleep when he exited the bathroom, but she wasn't even in bed.

He walked out to his living room to the smell of eggs, bacon, and toast.

"Timmy!" She said happily, "You're awake!"

He went into the kitchen, "Yeah… I am. When did we get this food?"

"I got it, this morning. I couldn't sleep so I got dressed and while you were taking your shower, I snuck out and went to the store."

"How long was I in the shower for?"

"Not sure, I was gone for like a half hour though."

"Well, it smells really good."

Abby smiled, "Thank you. It'll be done in a few minutes."

Tim noticed that Abby seemed very… perky for such an early hour. He stared at her for a moment, "How many Caf-Pow's have you had this morning?"

"I got a twenty-four pack at the store, and I drank three. Why?"

Tim shook his head and smiled, "No reason."

They had a nice breakfast, neither of them mentioning the nightmare or the fact that Tim never returned to bed. Abby decided to put her worries on the back burner and just try to make him feel more comfortable. She was glad that the breakfast seemed to help begin to do that.

* * *

Gibbs came walking into the bullpen, "Grab your gear, we've got a new case."

"Where at, Boss?" Tony asked.

"Norfolk. Two Navy Captains were found in the basement of a warehouse. They'd been stabbed multiple times," Gibbs began walking to the elevator, the rest of the team following closely behind.

Tim froze at the elevator doors.

"Hey, Probie, you gotta get _in_ the elevator," Tony said as he held the door, keeping it from closing.

Tim glanced at each of his team members, all of them staring at him curiously, "I… I think I forgot something at my desk. I'll catch up."

"Hurry it up, McGee," Gibbs warned with a sigh.

"I will, I'll just… I'll meet you all in the car."

Tim sighed in relief once the elevator doors closed. He had gotten out of it this time, but he definitely couldn't keep making excuses for not taking the elevator.

Not wanting to waste time, he quickly made his way to the staircase.

* * *

"That was weird," Tony said as the elevator started to go down.

"What?" Ziva asked.

"McGee forgetting something. He's Mr. McAlwaysPrepared."

Gibbs stayed silent. He already had his concerns about Tim, but now he knew Tony did too.

"We all forget things sometimes, Tony."

Tony shook his head, "Not McGee."

* * *

They all exited the NCIS van, and Gibbs began giving orders, "DiNozzo, bag and tag. David, get a statement from the man who found the Captains. McGee, photos."

"Right away, Boss."

"Yes, Gibbs."

"Yes, Boss."

Tony, Gibbs, and Tim headed down to the basement, while Ziva stayed outside to get the statement.

The staircase down to the basement was small, cramped, and dark. It automatically gave Tim a queasy feeling.

He slowly made his way down the stairs, semi-closely behind Tony and Gibbs.

"Isn't there a light switch anywhere?" He asked once they reached the basement.

"I don't know," Tony replied.

"Well, I have an idea," Gibbs began, "Why don't you try _looking_ for one?"

Tony cleared his throat, "Of course, Boss."

Tim felt a panic attack coming on. It was so dark, musty, and closed in down there… he was afraid that if the lights weren't turned on soon, he would fall apart right in front of the two people that he would _never_ want to fall apart in front of.

"Found it!" Tony exclaimed as he flipped the switch.

Tim took a deep breath to calm himself back down.

They walked over to the bodies and Tim began to take the photos.

Tony went to get some bags, but stopped when he noticed Tim. He walked over to him, "McGee, you're sweating like crazy. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm just a little hot I guess."

"It's like fifty degrees down here."

"Then maybe I'm sweating from the cold."

Tony's eyebrows furrowed, "That doesn't even make sense."

Tim, who had been ignoring eye contact, looked up at Tony, "Tony, I'm fine," He said angrily, "How about you go and do your job, and let me do mine? Is that a problem for you?"

Tony didn't reply. He just walked away and went back to work.

* * *

They got back to headquarters a couple of hours later. They all headed back to their desks to start making phone calls, looking up information about the Captains, etc..

After a couple of minutes, Tony walked over to Gibbs' desk, "Boss, can I talk to you for a minute… privately?"

"My office?"

Tony nodded.

They headed to the elevator, and Gibbs flipped the emergency switch once they were inside.

"What is it, DiNozzo?"

"It's… McGee. I'm worried about him, Boss."

"Why is that?" Gibbs asked. He was pretty sure he already knew, but he needed to hear it from Tony.

"He just hasn't been acting like himself since he came back. I know its only been a couple of days but… I don't know, maybe I'm over thinking."

Gibbs shook his head, "No, you're not."

Tony looked surprised, "You've noticed too?"

"Yesterday morning I came in from getting coffee, he was at his desk. His eyes were open, but I'm pretty sure he was asleep."

"You're kidding? Boss, we've gotta do something. He blew up at me today when I asked if he was okay. He looked like he was about to pass out he was sweatin' so bad."

"I know, I heard."

"Well, what about Abby? Has she said anything? She is staying with him after all."

"No, she hasn't said anything."

"Should we talk to him now? Or go to his house after work? Or-"

Gibbs cut him off, "Just keep watching him. Let's give him a few more days before we decide to conduct an intervention."

Tony sighed, "I know I joke him all the time, Boss, but he's like my brother. I don't like knowing he's hurting."

Gibbs patted Tony on the shoulder then started the elevator back, "I know. I don't like it either."

* * *

**Sorry this is a little late. I usually have the chapter up by 11am (EST), but I'm not feeling well today (I think I got food poisoning) and I didn't feel like finishing the chapter until now.**

**Oh, and according to spell check "snuck" isn't a word, but I use "snuck" all the time and I rarely ever hear someone say "sneaked", so I'm keeping "snuck"... Just thought I'd mention that :P  
**

**Make me feel better and review please :)**


	17. A Ticking Bomb

Three more days slowly went by, Tim only slept for one of those nights… for five hours. He had to be woken up by Abby after screaming in his sleep. That nightmare was worse than the first. He was back in the box. It was dark, so dark. He was thirsty and hungry and he seemed to be running out of oxygen. He reached over and felt the knife beside him. He slowly picked it up and held it to his throat. This time, Abby's voice didn't yell his name. This time he began slicing the knife across his throat. It was as though Tim could really feel the knife cutting him in his dream. Just as he was about to die, Abby woke him up.

Much against Abby's wishes, she went home two days later. She had spent a week with Tim, and although she would have stayed forever if necessary, he kindly told her that he would be okay alone. Plus, he was gonna pick Jethro up from the dog sitter's house, so technically he wouldn't be_ totally_ alone anyway.

Once Abby left, Tim went to his room and immediately took all of the covers off of his bed. Now that Abby was gone, he didn't have to force himself under those suffocating sheets every night.

Then he left and bought himself a new computer. He didn't bother buying a new typewriter… It wasn't that he thought no new typewriter could ever match up to his old one, it was just that he really didn't seem to care about it.

The one thing he didn't do was go and get Jethro. He called the pet sitter to tell her that he was sorry, but he just needed to leave Jethro there a while longer. He was glad she didn't mind. Jethro was a very lovable dog… but Tim just didn't think he could handle taking care of a dog right now… not when he could barely take care of himself.

When Tim got back home he got his computer set up, which didn't take long at all, and immediately began looking things up. His hands were doing a lot better now. He didn't even have to wear the bandages all the time. They now looked like they had a very bad sunburn/rash. But, every time he looked at them, they brought memories that he wished would stay away.

Tim spent all night hacking into the FBI's computer system. He knew once he got inside, all he'd have to do was search his name and the man that was responsible for his nightmares would come up. He wasn't sure why he wanted to see his picture and file so badly, but he just couldn't help it… and really, what else is there to do at night when you can't sleep? Hacking into the FBI just seemed like the most reasonable thing.

The file came up, along with the photo, and Tim read it for hours. It seemed Fornell and his team had gotten a lot out of the man in the past few days. He was a part of a group of men and women that wanted to show the police, federal agents, and any other type of person in law enforcement that they were no one special. They were a newly formed group… didn't even make a name for themselves. Tim was their first, and now _only_, victim.

Tim read everything in detail, four times. When he finally tore his eyes away from the screen, he looked at his watch. It was ten o'clock in the morning.

Tim cursed under his breath. He jumped up and ran to his closet, throwing on the first things he could jerk out of his closet… Thankfully most of his clothes were all work appropriate, so he didn't look like a bum.

By the time he got to work it was nearing twenty till eleven.

He ran up the stairs and headed into the bullpen. Tony immediately gave him a "You're in so much trouble" stare. Ziva turned around in her chair, then followed him with her eyes until he reached his desk.

Gibbs remained sitting at his desk. He didn't look up as Tim walked over to him, "I'm sorry, Boss. My alarm didn't go off this morning and I overslept and-"

"We called you, over twenty times," Gibbs interrupted, his voice was eerily calm, "I was about to have DiNozzo and David go to your place."

"It won't happen again, Boss."

"I got a call from Fornell this morning. Says he was woken up at four in the morning with an agent telling him that someone hacked into the FBI's computer system and copied a file… _one_ file." Gibbs looked up from his desk for the first time. He saw the guilty look on Tim's face. "See, the guy who called Fornell decided to check things out before he went straight to the director of the FBI. He did his computer thing and found out where the hacker was hacking from. When he saw that the apartment building matched your address, then he saw that you were the victim in the file, he decided to call Fornell, and let him handle it."

"Boss, I…"

Gibbs stood up, "You what, McGee!" He exclaimed, "Do you realize that if that agent hadn't called Fornell, and Fornell hadn't called me, then you'd be going to prison right now?"

"Y- Yes, I do. I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it! What's the matter with you, Tim? And don't lie to me! You haven't been acting like yourself since you came back. You fell asleep at your desk, you blew up at Tony when he asked you what was wrong, I know Abby's hiding something for you, and then-"

"Shut up!" Tim yelled suddenly, surprising the other three agents, "Just shut up! Maybe the reason I can't act like myself is because I've constantly got someone staring over my shoulder. I mean, Abby practically never left my side for a week, Tony glances over at me a million times a day like I'm some sort of bomb that he waiting for to go off, and _you_ pretend like you don't notice, or care, but you stare just as much, if not more than Tony does! And yes, hacking into the FBI may not have been a good idea, but no one will even mention my case around me! If I asked, then you guys would have thought I was obsessing over it, so I decided to look into it myself." Tim had moved back from Gibbs' desk and was now closer to the middle of the room, "I mean, you guys have gone through more crap then I ever have, and you act like nothing afterwards. Ziva is held captive for months, and then she comes back and it's like she went on a three month vacation. Tony almost gets blown up like three times, gets the plague, watches Kate get shot in the head, and goes on like nothing," He threw his arms up at Gibbs, "And you, you've been through too much to mention, yet it's like you're a stone wall or something!"

No one knew what to say. Tim was the last one anyone ever suspected to act this way.

Gibbs walked over to him, "Tim-"

"Save it! You know what, unless you want to arrest me, I think I'll just go back home! _Maybe_ I'll come back tomorrow." Tim turned around and stormed out of the room, leaving the rest of the team speechless.

* * *

**Seems kind of short, but I didn't want to add anything else. I think it would have taken away from Tim having his freak out. **

**Thanks for all the reviews :) You helped me to feel much better!**

**Also, if anyone has a youtube account, my name is CJSmith8793. Please send me a friend invite :) (I make McAbby videos galore haha)!  
**


	18. Not What He Wanted

Tim angrily stormed down the staircase. He wasn't sure if he was angry at himself, his co-workers, or both. He was sure of one thing… he needed sleep. He was so tired… no words could describe how exhausted he was. Sure he had those five hours of sleep two… or was it three nights ago? He couldn't quite remember anymore. But even his sleeps weren't peaceful. His eyes felt so heavy that, for all he knew, he could have had twenty pound weights hanging from them.

Just as he was about to exit the stairs on the main floor, he remembered something. Ducky! Ducky kept certain pills down in autopsy. Nothing too strong, just little things in case the team ever needed it. He continued down the stairs until he reached autopsy. He was happy to find that the room was empty… well, maybe _happy_ wasn't the right word. Nothing about him was happy. But, he just didn't want to deal with people right now.

He opened the cabinet where Ducky kept the medication, and began looking at every bottle. He was becoming annoyed, there was nothing to help him sleep. Then he saw some Tylenol PM… "Better than nothing," He said to himself. He took the half full bottle and quickly left the room.

* * *

"That was… very unlike him," Ziva said, breaking the silence that had filled the bullpen.

"Boss, I don't think we just stand on the sidelines anymore," Tony said as he got up from his desk and walked over to Gibbs.

"No, we can't."

"What do we do?" Ziva asked.

"Give him some time to calm down, they you and Tony go to his apartment. Bring him back here."

"What if he won't come?" Tony asked.

"Cuff him, arrest him, tranquilize him for all I care, just get him back here." Gibbs left out of the bullpen.

Tony looked over at Ziva, who seemed to be deep in thought, "What are you thinking?"

"Is it not obvious?"

"No, I know you you're thinking about Tim… I meant what are you thinking _about_ Tim?"

Ziva sighed and shook her head, "Nothing. It does not matter. When should we leave?"

Tony looked at his watch, "We'll head over in about half an hour."

"Alright."

* * *

Tim entered his apartment and slammed the door behind him. He took the pill bottle, which he had stuffed in his pocket, and set it on the kitchen table.

He opened the bottle and took out two pills. He held them tightly in his hand until he got a glass out of his cabinet and filled it with water. Then he quickly swallowed the pills.

He went to his room and changed out of his work clothes and into sweatpants and a t-shirt.

He sighed… he wasn't feeling like he could go to sleep yet. He didn't take into account that he had only swallowed the pills a couple of minutes before.

He went back into the kitchen, took out two more pills, and swallowed them with his water.

His stomach growled… He hadn't eaten in a couple of days. But, right now, he didn't want to eat. He wanted to sleep. He was so tired. He just wanted to be able to close his eyes without fearing the dark.

He stood in his kitchen. His hands tapping impatiently on the counter top. He sighed again, "I just need to lay down," He said to himself, "Then I'll just fall asleep."

He went back into his room and laid on his now sheetless bed. He laid on his back, then on his side, then his other side, then back on his back.

"Just close your eyes," He told himself, "Close your eyes."

He took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.

_The box._

_The dark._

_No light._

_It smelled._

_A knife._

_Not enough air._

His heart pounded as he forced his eyes back open. He sat up and swung his feet around so they were pressed against the carpet.

"Why is this so difficult!" He yelled angrily.

He got up and walked back to his kitchen. He picked up the pill bottle and dumped out all of the pills onto the counter. He counted them. There were six left.

_'They'll help. They'll help you sleep… No, no you can't take six more. That would be taking ten at one time… But, I'll sleep. It's just Tylenol. It's not some prescription.'_

He paced back and forth as his mind had a full two-person conversation with itself.

"I just want to sleep!" He yelled as he pulled his hair, as if that would stop the conversation in his mind.

He went over to the pills and quickly swallowed two at a time, not even bothering with the water.

* * *

Once Gibbs had left the bullpen, he wet straight to the lab.

"Hi, Gibbs!" Abby said cheerfully, "I don't have anything for you yet… Well, I won't have anything for you because you didn't bring me anything. Are you bringing me something right now? No, you're not, cause you don't have anything with you-"

"Abby!" Gibbs interrupted at the first chance he could.

"What?"

"What are you hiding from me?"

"What are you talking about, Gibbs?"

Gibbs walked up closer to her, "I'm talking about McGee, Abby. I know you know something about him that you aren't telling me."

She looked around the room nervously, trying to avoid eye contact, "I don't know what you're-"

"This is not the time to play games, Abby."

"What's wrong? Did something happen to Timmy?"

"Yeah, he practically quit his job, _after_ he yelled at me, Tony, and Ziva."

"He yelled at you?" She questioned. She couldn't imagine Tim doing that.

"Yeah, he did. Tell me what you're hiding."

Abby sighed, "Gibbs, I… I can't. I promised."

"I don't care what you promised!"

"Well, I do!"

Gibbs could tell that this was going nowhere, "Fine. Keep it to yourself. I just hope whatever it is, is something you can live with if he chooses _not_ to."

Gibbs stormed out of the room.

Abby took a deep breath and tears came to her eyes. If there was ever a time in her life where she felt conflicted… it was now.

* * *

Tim stood in his kitchen for a few more minutes, not really thinking anything… just waiting.

His eyes began to blur and he felt dizzy… but he didn't worry, "Maybe now I can sleep."

He began to make his way to his bed, but it was hard to see.

When he got to his computer desk he leaned up against it, unable to focus on anything.

He moved one hand up to his heart. It was beating strangely.

Now, he was worried.

He took deep breaths, trying to get his heart beating normally, but it didn't help.

"Jus need t' lay dwn."

Now he was even more worried, if that was possible. He couldn't even speak right.

Somehow he made it to his room.

He was seeing two of everything, and he couldn't walk straight.

He tried to make it to his bed, but he missed, and fell on the floor.

He knew this was bad. He needed help. He tried to reach up for his phone on his nightstand. He couldn't reach, he wasn't even close.

His arm dropped down by his side and his eyes closed. He didn't worry about them closing, just like he had wanted… But this, this was not what he wanted. He was alone in his apartment, and he knew that soon, he would be dead.

* * *

**So, in one of the creepiest things ever: We got new patio furniture sent to our house two days ago. It came in a big box and yesterday my sister helped my dad put it together. My nephew decided he wanted to play in the box. It was brought inside and he played with it as a boat for a while. Well, then he decided, once I got inside, that it would be fun to put the top of the box over us... Needless to say I spent about fifteen minutes laying down inside of a box, in the darkest of dark, with only a few holes in the bottom corners for air to enter. I took pictures (I'll have to post them on some website, sometime) ...But, I thought that was pretty odd... Guess I should never write a story about one of the characters being murdered. Anyway, I now know how Tim felt... maybe not exactly, but sort of. **

**Well, now that I got that story out, please let me know what you thought of the chapter :)**

**Oh, just a little P.S.: I don't know exactly what happens when you OD on Tylenol. I looked up some stuff, but I know I probably screwed up somehow... Sorry if I did.**


	19. Just Breathe

_A few moments earlier…_

"I thought you said we were going to wait _half_ an hour?" Ziva said as they pulled into Tim's apartment complex.

"Twenty minutes is close enough," Tony replied, "Didn't we already have this conversation when we left NCIS?"

"I did. You did not answer me when I asked then."

"Oh… Well, I did now." Tony found a parking space right next to Tim's car. He unbuckled his seatbelt and sighed, "Alright, let's go."

They both got out of the car. "How do you think this will go?" Ziva asked.

"After this morning… not well."

They walked up the stairs… that led to the hallway… that led to Tim's apartment.

"Here we go," Tony said as he knocked on Tim's door.

No answer.

Ziva knocked, "McGee, it is me and Tony."

No answer.

"Come on, McGee!" Tony exclaimed, pounding on the door now, "Open up!"

Still, no answer.

"He is not gone," Ziva stated, "Unless he walked somewhere."

Tony sighed, "No, he's here. He's just ignoring us… Time to put your lock picking skills into action again."

Ziva twisted the doorknob, "Does not look like I need to." She pushed the door open and, for a moment, they just stood in the doorway.

Tony entered the apartment first, "McYell, where are you?"

"You should probably back off on the names, Tony," Ziva said as she came up behind him.

"Oh please, you know I'm incapable of doing that. Timba!"

"He may be in the shower."

"I don't hear water running, do you?"

"No."

Tony walked to Tim's bedroom door, "McGee!" He yelled as he went inside.

"Tony, he is probably gon-"

"Ziva! Call an ambulance now!"

Ziva ran into Tim's bedroom. Tony was on the other side of the bed, bent down over Tim who was lying motionless on the floor.

She got out her cell phone and began to dial, "Is he breathing?"

"Just barely."

A 911 operator answered Ziva's call, and she began telling the woman that a NCIS Special Agent needed medical attention.

Tony turned Tim over onto his back, "Come on, Tim. Wake up!" He began lightly smacking his cheek, "Wake up, McGee! What did you do?"

Once Ziva had hung up with 911, she called Gibbs, told him what was happening, and told him to meet them at the hospital.

* * *

Tony and Ziva were forced out of the room so the paramedics could have enough space to work on Tim.

They moved into the kitchen, both still quite shaken up.

Tony was the first to notice the pills, "Look, Ziva."

She turned around, "How many do you think he took?"

He shook his head, "Twenty-five comes in this bottle, but… I don't know."

"This is not like McGee."

"McGee hasn't been like McGee in a while now, Ziva."

The paramedics came out carrying Tim on a stretcher. He was so pale, he almost looked dead. He had an oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose, and the paramedics were yelling medical jargon that neither Tony or Ziva understood.

Tony grabbed one of the paramedics by the shoulder, "What's happening?"

"We're taking him to Bethesda. He's barely got a pulse, and he's also barely breathing on his own. His stomach needs pumped, but we have to hurry." He began to walk off.

"Can we ride in the ambulance?" Tony asked.

"One of you can, the other will have to follow."

Tony looked back at Ziva.

"You go," Ziva said, "I will follow in the car."

Tony nodded and ran to catch up with the paramedics.

* * *

When Gibbs hung up with Ziva he felt overloaded with emotions. Anger, fear, confusion, and countless others. He searched for his keys as he opened his cell phone. He called down to autopsy.

"Autopsy. Dr. Mallard sp-"

"Duck, we gotta get to the hospital," Gibbs said frantically.

"What happened, Jethro?"

"It's Tim. Ziva just called, she and Tony found him passed out on his bedroom floor. He's barely breathing, but that's all I know."

"Oh dear, I will be right up."

Gibbs cursed loudly.

"Jethro!"

"I can't find my keys!"

"Then hang up with me and look. I will be waiting outside."

"I gotta get Abby first. She'll kill me if I don't let her know."

"Alright."

They hung up and Gibbs continued looking for a few more seconds… until he found the keys right on top of his desk. He smacked himself on the back of the head, then made his way to the lab.

* * *

"Gibbs!" Abby said in surprise. She didn't think he'd come back down to the lab after what happened earlier.

"We gotta go, Abbs."

"What? Go where?"

"The hospital. Tony and Ziva found McGee unconscious on his bedroom floor. He's barely breathing. Let's go."

Abby looked emotionless. She just stood there, "Are you making this up, Gibbs?"

"Are you kidding me? Why would I make that up?"

"For me to tell you what I already told you I couldn't tell you."

Gibbs turned around and began to leave, "If you don't want to believe me, then don't. Ducky and I will be at the hospital checking to see if Tim is going to survive."

Abby didn't want to believe it, but she truly did know that Gibbs would _never_ make something like that up. Tears filled up in her eyes as she quickly ran to catch up with Gibbs.

* * *

Tony sat in the side of the ambulance, staring down at Tim as one of the paramedics drove as fast as he could to the hospital. There were two other paramedics in the back, working on Tim, but Tony didn't take notice to them. He couldn't keep his eyes off of his co-worker… his friend. Heck, they were closer than friends. They were practically brothers. They acted like brothers with their bickering, joking, and pranking. Tony may have teased Tim a lot, but that's what brothers do. Tony could not imagine losing Tim.

Tim's t-shirt had been cut by one of the paramedics so they could put 'sticky things', as Tony called it, on his chest to monitor his heart beat, etc.

The only noise Tony seemed to hear was the 'beep….. beep….. beep…..' that continued to come from one of the monitors. It was his heart beating, and it was slow… too slow. But, Tony knew it was better than nothing. As long as it didn't turn into one long, endless beep, things could be worse.

Both paramedics were on the left side of Tim, and Tony was on the right. He reached over and laid a hand on Tim's forehead, "Come on, Probie. You're not allowed to die. Just hang in there… I mean, I've got like fifty McNicknames that I've never used before." Tony sighed, then he leaned back and rubbed his hands over his eyes.

Then, Tony heard a noise. It made his heart drop. The 'beep…. beep….' has stopped. Now one long, endless 'beep' is all that could be heard.

* * *

**You all hate me now don't you? ;)**

**We all know what it means when the heart monitor makes an endless beeping sound, right? ...If you don't, let me know, and I'll explain. My Papa spent about 6 1/2 months in a hospital before he died, so I know that sound all too well... Not that it takes spending 6 1/2 months in the hospital to know that sound, I guess I was just pointing out useless information about my Papa. I miss him though, and maybe that's one of the reasons I hate writing hospital chapters... Although, I don't mind hospitals in general... Okay, now I'm just blabbering.**

**Let me know what you think of the chapter! **


	20. Back At The Hospital

"No, no, no, no," Tony kept repeating.

The paramedics were yelling back and forth at one another. One began giving CPR while the other got the defibrillator ready.

Tony reached over and grabbed Tim's arm, "Come on, Tim! Come on!"

"Sir! Sir! Let go now!" One of the paramedics yelled. He wasn't sure which one… and he didn't really care. The paramedic pulled Tony's hand off of Tim.

"Clear!" He yelled as he held the paddles in the air. He then placed them on Tim's chest.

Tony put his head down in his hands. He didn't know what to do… There was nothing he _could_ do. Tim was lying there… dead!

"Nothing," The other paramedic yelled.

The charge was set higher and, "Clear!" Was called again. The paddles went down. Tony looked up just as Tim jerked from the second shock. They waited a moment.

That one endless beep stopped, and a slow, occasional beep returned, "He's back."

Tony let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding the whole time.

* * *

Gibbs, Ducky, Abby, and Ziva were all standing in the waiting room as the paramedics rushed by with Tim. They led him right back into the ER. No one on the team could even see him for the crowd of the paramedics, and the doctor surrounding him, but they knew it was him. He was out of sight within seconds, then Tony came walking in.

"Tony!" Abby called out.

He walked over to them silently.

"How is he?" Gibbs asked.

Tony seemed to be in shock. He just shook his head.

"DiNozzo, speak!" Gibbs demanded.

"He a… He's alive, but just barely. He… His heart stopped on the way over."

Abby gasped and put a hand over her mouth.

"They… They had to use the defibrillator on him twice before it started back up," Tony blinked repeatedly, forcing the tears that were in his eyes to go away. "They're gonna try to pump his stomach now."

"How did this happen?" Abby asked, then added, "_What_ happened?"

Ziva took over for Tony, "When Tony and I went to check on McGee, he would not come to his door. We went inside and Tony found him lying on the floor in his bedroom. He was barely breathing. When the ambulance arrived, Tony and I went into the kitchen so we would not be in the way and we found a empty bottle of Tylenol PM on the counter. We do not know how many he took."

"He… He tried to _kill_ himself?" Abby asked nervously.

"That's what it looks like," Tony answered, annoyance present in his voice.

"But we do not know that for sure," Ziva added quickly.

"Oh my God," Abby said as tears rolled down her eyes, "Gibbs, what if he doesn't make it? What if he dies? What if-"

Gibbs pulled Abby into a hug, "It's okay, Abbs. It's gonna be okay."

"You don't know that, Gibbs!… But, will you keep saying it?"

He kissed her forehead, "It's gonna be okay."

"How did you guys get here before me?" Tony asked Ziva.

"I drove... And Gibbs drove."

Tony nodded, "Ah."

Ducky went to Abby and placed a hand on her back, "Why don't we sit down, my dear. I'll tell you a story from my younger years."

Abby took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay."

* * *

Every fifteen to twenty minutes Gibbs got up to refill on coffee, or bother nurses by asking for information on Tim… They always replied with the same thing, "You'll know when we know." Those five words annoyed him to no end.

Abby would sit by Ducky for a while, then she would get up and pace back and forth across the waiting room. Ducky was always there to give her words of encouragement. She knew he meant well, but it didn't help.

Tony and Ziva sat beside each other. Occasionally Ziva would glance over at Tony, and after two hours of silence, she had to say something.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

Without looking up from the spot on the floor that he had been staring at, he replied, "I just watched my partner have to be revived after he ODed on pills. I'm great."

"I know it is difficult-"

"No, you don't know, Ziva," He replied angrily. His voice was rising with each word, and now everyone in the waiting room could hear, "You didn't have to watch them put the paddles on Tim's chest, then shock his heart to re-start it! You didn't have to see him jerk around from the electricity that went through his body! You don't know!"

Gibbs came over, "Hey! Calm down, DiNozzo!"

Tony opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the doctor walking into the waiting room. It was Dr. Long, the same doctor Tim had the last time he was in the hospital.

"Doc, how is he?" Gibbs asked as the entire team walked up to him.

"He's alive, and stable," Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as he continued, "We pumped his stomach. It was empty beside some water and the medication. I was told he took Tylenol PM?"

Everyone nodded.

"The amount we found was equivalent to taking ten pills. We're fairly sure we got most of it out, we just need to keep him for forty-eight hours to make sure liver damage doesn't occur."

"And if it does?" Ducky asked, although he was fairly sure he already knew the answer.

Dr. Long sighed, "There is a chance he would not make it."

Again, Abby gasped and tears rolled down her eyes.

"However, I prefer to look at this positively. I don't think there was enough time for that to happen, but we just have to wait and see." He paused for a moment, glancing at each person in the group, "I also placed him on a forty-eight hour suicide watch."

"So he really _did_ try to kill himself?" Abby questioned.

"He's not awake right now, so until we hear his side, I can't be one hundred percent sure. It's just a precaution."

"Can we see him?" Gibbs asked.

"One at a time. Like I said, he's not awake right now, and when he does wake he may be _very_ unhappy. I don't want too many people crowding around him at once. I have to go, but any of the nurses will gladly take you to see Agent McGee." Dr. Long nodded to the team and left.

"You should go first, Jethro," Ducky said, "Then, Anthony aft-"

"No," Tony interrupted, "No, I don't want to see him right now."

"Tony, what are you talking about?" Ziva asked.

"I need to go back to NCIS anyway. There's a lot of work to do. Can I have the keys?"

Ziva glanced over at Gibbs. He gave her a nod, so she handed the keys over.

"Thanks." He turned and left, leaving the rest of them confused.

"What was that about?" Ziva asked.

Ducky walked up to her, "People react to things in different ways, Ziva. This is Anthony's way."

"I'll be out in a few minutes," Gibbs said as he went to get one of the nurses.

"Gibbs, wait!" Abby called to him. She walked over to him so they could have a little privacy.

"What, Abbs?"

"The thing that I couldn't tell you-"

"Abby, I'm not getting into this right now-"

"Just let me finish, Gibbs," Abby took a deep breath, "On the day that Tim figured out where he was… Something happened just before that. He asked me to leave the room so he could go to the bathroom. I told him I would but I didn't."

"The secret is that you saw him pee?"

"No, Gibbs! Don't interrupt… I didn't leave the room and I saw Tim pick up the knife. He held it to his throat… he was gonna kill himself."

* * *

**No major cliffie here. I figured I'd give you guys a break after the last few chapters... just to be nice ;) **

** Okay, seriously, I wrote just a few chapters ago that Tim got 4 hours of sleep, then I wrote that he got 5 (at another time)... Well, two nights ago I could not fall asleep until 4:30! I had to force myself to go to sleep, them I had to wake up at 8:30 for church. So, now I know what it feels like for Tim to have only four hours of sleep... it sucks! I really need to be nicer to these characters... NAH!**

**So, the reviews have been amazing, thank you all so much! You guys are cooler than Caf-Pow!**


	21. Talk

"He what?" Gibbs said in disbelief.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but he begged me not to and-"

"Abby, that's not something that you hide for a friend."

"That's why I stayed with him, Gibbs. I wanted to make sure he was okay. I told him I'd be watching him like a hawk, and I did… he never acted suicidal. I figured he just felt helpless while he was trapped."

Gibbs put his hand on his forehead, "Abby, I can't- I can't talk about this right now. I'm going in to see McGee."

"Gibbs!" Abby called out as he walked away. He ignored her, found a nurse, and made his way to Tim.

* * *

One by one they all visited Tim. Gibbs stood over him, inwardly telling him off. Ducky told him a story that he somehow felt related to the situation. Abby wrapped her hand in his and cried silently. Ziva stood back, only going up to him when she was about to leave, and kissed him on the cheek.

Since Tony had taken the one car, only Gibbs' was left. Once Ziva came out, Gibbs gave her the keys and told her to drive back to NCIS… He was going to stay.

* * *

Gibbs walked back into Tim's room and sat down in the uncomfortable chair. He stared at his pale, sickly agent. There was dark circles under his eyes, and a small bruise on his forehead from when he fell. He had a nasal cannula giving him oxygen, and an IV in his arm to hydrate him. Gibbs looked at Tim's hands, which were still red… Just another reminder of the forty-eight hours of horror that Tim had previously gone through. Gibbs remembered that the doctor said that, besides the dissolved pills and some water, Tim's stomach was empty… which meant he also hadn't been eating. There were so many things wrong with Tim, inside and out, and Gibbs felt helpless. He stood back and watched while his agent withered away, and he did nothing. He thought that if he just gave him some space, then maybe Tim would be okay, but he was wrong... No matter how many things were happening at that moment, the one thing that Gibbs didn't understand _at all_ was why the psychiatrist at NCIS _ever_ let Tim resume duties… But, that was a conversation for another time. Right now all that mattered, was Tim.

Gibbs stayed for the rest of the day… and night. This wing of the hospital had a much stricter rule about visitors leaving once visiting hours were over, but Gibbs didn't care. The only way he was leaving was if they carried his dead body out… It took two different guards coming in to make everyone realize that… and Gibbs was pretty sure he made one of the guards cry.

He stayed awake until after midnight, then he slowly drifted off to sleep. His neck laid back against the top of the chair, his feet on the ground. It was one of the most uncomfortable positions ever, in one of the most uncomfortable chairs ever, but he had had to sleep in worse conditions before.

* * *

He opened his eyes. Everything was blurry at first. He blinked a few times to adjust his vision. The only light entering the room was coming from the window. He looked around. Nothing was familiar. He started to panic, but then he saw a familiar face sitting beside him, asleep. _'Hospital,'_ Tim realized when his mind cleared. _'…But why?'_ Apparently his mind wasn't _completely_ clear.

He didn't want to wake up Gibbs, but he wanted to know what was going on… Gibbs must have read his mind in his sleep, because just as Tim went to open his mouth, Gibbs made a groaning noise and his eyes opened. He scrunched up his face and put a hand on the back of his neck, obviously regretting the way he had slept.

Once he finished stretching his neck a little, he looked at Tim, "You're awake."

Tim nodded, "I am."

"How long have you been up?"

"Like twenty seconds… give or take ten. How long have I been asleep?"

Gibbs looked at his watch, "About twenty hours."

Tim looked around the room, then back at Gibbs, "What am I doing here?"

"You don't remember?"

"No."

"You overdosed on Tylenol."

Suddenly Tim remembered. He put a hand to his head, "Oh my God."

Gibbs stood up. He wasn't going to beat around the bush, "Tim, why didn't you talk to someone? You could have talked to me, or Tony, Ducky, Ziva, Abby… anyone!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You should have come to us instead of going and trying to kill yourself, _again,_ by taking pills."

Tim's eyes widened, "I- I didn't try to kill myself," He replied, confused.

"McGee, DiNozzo and Ziva found you lying on your bedroom floor. You were barely breathing. You went into defib on the way to the hospital and had to be shocked twice. When your stomach was pumped they found the amount of ten pills-"

"I'm not saying I didn't take the pills," Tim interrupted. He began talking quickly, "I did take them, but I wasn't trying to kill myself… Why would anyone kill themselves with Tylenol? You wouldn't even die right away! You would most likely get liver damage and that would slowly kill you! That would be a horrible way to kill myself!"

"Tim! Slow down… If you weren't trying to kill yourself, then what were you trying to do?"

"I just- I wanted to sleep. Every time I would fall asleep, I would have nightmares. I wanted to close my eyes without having the nightmares." Tim rubbed his eyes. He could feel the tears forming, and he did not want to cry in front of his boss.

Gibbs sat back down, "Why did you take _ten_ pills, McGee?"

Tim sighed, "I wasn't thinking straight. I had been up all night, hacking into the FBI, then going over the case file. Then I came into work and… I just got _so_ angry."

"Yeah, I know."

Tim looked mortified, "Boss, I am so sorry. I didn't mean everything I said-"

"Don't apologize. Keep going with the story."

Tim took a deep breath, "Once I left the bullpen I went down to autopsy cause I knew Ducky kept pills down there. I found the Tylenol and I took them home. I took two at first, but it just wouldn't work fast enough… So, I took two more. Then, a few minutes later, I took the rest. I swear, I just wanted to get some sleep."

"I believe you, McGee."

Tim rested his head back on his pillow. They were both silent for a moment, then Tim looked back at Gibbs, "Wait. You said _'again'_."

"What?"

"You said 'You should have come to us instead of going and trying to kill yourself, _again_'." Gibbs just looked at him. Again, Tim looked mortified, "…Abby."

"She was scared. She didn't want to tell me… although she should have, a long time ago."

"No, she shouldn't have."

"You're right… _You_ should have told. Did you skip over that during your psych evaluation?"

"Boss, I was terrified. I didn't think there was any other way out. Before that moment I had never thought of committing suicide, and I never thought about it afterwards."

"You still should have told," Gibbs replied, "I don't like my team keeping secrets."

"What was I supposed to say?"

"Anything. We're all here for you, Tim. The whole team would have been willing to do anything to help you out. Do you not realize that?"

"I just… I didn't want everyone to think I was weak."

Gibbs stood up, walked over to Tim, and smacked the back of his head to make sure he had his full attention. He leaned in closer to Tim, pointed at him, and stared straight in his eyes, "I don't put weak people on my team. I didn't think you were weak eight years ago when you couldn't even form full sentences, and I definitely don't think you're weak now. Do you understand me?"

Tim nodded, "Yes, Boss."

"And you'll let us help you. You'll talk to us instead of trying to deal with everything on your own." It came out as a statement, but he wanted Tim's answer.

Tim took a deep breath before replying, "Yes, Boss."

* * *

**This was not the way this chapter was going to end. I cut it slightly short because I didn't want to take any of the focus off of the Tim/Gibbs talk. I hope you guys liked it :) Let me know what you think!**

**Also, new NCIS tonight! WOOOOOOOOOOT! *Clears throat* ...I'm cool and calm, no worries.  
**


	22. The Problem

_ "No matter how dark the night, somehow the sun rises once again and all shadows are chased away." David Matthews_

* * *

Tony had worked in silence all the previous day, and today seemed to be going no differently.

Any time Ziva attempted to start a conversation, she was met by… nothing. He didn't even attempt to reply to her. He just wasn't in the mood to speak.

* * *

It was nearing lunch time when Ziva hung up her phone after talking with Gibbs.

She figured Tony wouldn't reply, but she was going to tell him the information anyway, "That was Gibbs," She began, although she knew that he already knew. "McGee is awake, he has been for a few hours now. The doctor ran some tests and, so far, there are no signs of liver damage. He is eating a light lunch now and-"

"Stop, Ziva," Tony interrupted, "Just stop."

"Oh, so you _can_ speak."

He looked up from his computer screen, "What?"

She stood up and walked over to him, "Do not tell me you have not noticed the fact that you have not spoken a word since yesterday."

"There were so many chances for you to use a contraction in that sentence, David."

"Do not change the subject, Tony. Why do you not want to hear about Tim?"

Tony laughed humorlessly, "What's there to hear? He tried to off himself, it didn't work, he'll get out of the hospital, and he'll try again."

Tony, if you wou-"

"No, Ziva," Tony stood angrily, "I had to sit in that ambulance and watch as he almost succeeded in his attempt to commit suicide. Don't tell me that I should calm down, or visit with him, or feel sorry for him." Without letting Ziva have a chance to reply, he walked off to the bathroom.

* * *

When he got into the bathroom he went to the sink, turned on the water, and began to splash water on his face. When he looked up into the mirror, he saw Ziva leaning against the back wall, "Must you always follow me in here?"

"If you would have allowed me to speak out there then I would not have had to follow you in here… Why are you so angry with McGee?"

Tony grabbed some paper towels and dried off his face, then, after throwing them away, he turned to Ziva, "It's not McGee I'm angry with… it's whoever the person is that has control of him right now."

Ziva's face scrunched in confusion, "Someone has control of McGee?"

Tony sighed, "No, what I'm saying is that McGee just doesn't seem like McGee anymore."

"He has gone through a very traumatic experience, Tony."

"Every one on our team has gone through a traumatic experience. We all don't go and overdose on drugs to skip out on getting through it."

Ziva walked up to him and pointed at him, "That is the problem, right there."

"What?"

"Yes, everyone on the team has gone through trauma at one time or another, but we do not all think or act like Tim. We all get through things in different ways. I become quiet. I hold things back. Abby will talk your ears off, over analyzing things until she understands it. Gibbs builds boats and drinks bourbon. And you get angry and snappy and you shut people out. And, apparently, any time Tim goes through something, he finds himself as weak. He's the only agent on our team that _wants_ to get out how he feels, but he also realizes that the rest of us don't do that. So, if he were show his true emotions, he is afraid that we would view him as less of an agent."

Tony took a deep breath, he felt like an idiot, "Wow. You- you're right."

"Yes, I know."

"Thank you, Zee."

"Anytime, Tony."

Tony went to leave out of the bathroom.

"Tony!"

He turned around, "Yeah?"

"What I was trying to tell you earlier was that Gibbs informed me that McGee is no longer on suicide watch. He did not try to kill himself. That is not what he wanted at all."

Tony now felt like dirt… No, he felt worse than dirt… more like sewage. "I'm gonna take a long lunch break… There's someone I need to see."

* * *

Tony slowly and cautiously entered Tim's hospital room. Tim was asleep, and Gibbs was watching TV.

"Hey, Boss," Tony whispered.

Gibbs looked over his shoulder, "Tony. Didn't expect to see you here."

"Wanted to see McGee."

Gibbs nodded, "He's been out for about half an hour. The doctor put stuff in his IV to make him sleep."

"Well, why don't you go home for a while. I'll sit with him."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I don't mind."

Gibbs stood up, "I just need to shower and put on some new clothes. I should be back in an hour or so."

"Take your time."

Gibbs left out of the room and Tony sat down. He sighed as he looked at Tim. The memories of being in that ambulance were still all too clear in his head. Almost losing the closest thing he had to a brother… those were bad memories.

* * *

Tony sat there for forty-five minutes. Going back and forth from watching TV, to watching Tim. He felt the need to glance over at Tim every once in a while and make sure he was okay.

When Tony glanced back at Tim for about the hundredth time, he saw Tim's eyes darting back and forth underneath his eye lids. Then Tim's head began shaking back and forth, "Please, please, no," he began to whisper, "Get me out. Get me out."

Tony jumped up. He put his hands on Tim's shoulders, "Wake up, McGee. Wake up."

"Please get me out," He began to yell, "Get me out! I can't breathe!"

"Tim! Wake up!"

Tim's eyes popped open and he gasped. "Tony."

"Yeah, it's me. You're fine," Tony let go of him, "Nightmare?"

Tim put his hands over his face and wiped off the sweat. He nodded, "Yeah."

"Wanna McTell me about it?"

"It- it's nothing."

"Come on, Probie. Talk to me."

A memory of what Gibbs had said that morning flashed into Tim's mind,_ 'You'll talk to us instead of trying to deal with everything on your own.'_

Tim sighed, he looked down as he dwindled with his hands, "I- I was back in the coffin."

Tony pulled the chair over closer to Tim's bed and sat back down.

"I couldn't see anything. But, I could feel water. It started rising. I could hear you, Ziva, and Gibbs talking to me. You were trying to dig me up and get me out, but it was raining outside. The pipe that was used for me to get air was filling water into the box. The- the water was about to go over my head when you woke me up."

"That sounds… terrifying."

Tim nodded, "It was."

"I remember when I was at home, recovering from the plague. I used to have a recurring nightmare. I would be lying in my hospital bed, coughing… practically choking on the blood that I was coughing up. I would call for the nurses to come help me. I could see them all standing right outside of my room, but they would never come. They would just stand there, watching me as I slowly died. Every time I woke up from that dream I would have a horrible coughing fit, and I would not go back to sleep."

Tim couldn't believe Tony was telling him this… He looked at Tony, "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack."

"I- I never knew that."

"No one did. I never spoke of it until today."

"Well… I'm glad you did."

Tony nodded, "Me too."

* * *

Abby stood nervously just outside of Tim's hospital door. She wanted to go in so badly, but she knew that Tim would hate her for telling the secret.

It was seven thirty, only half an hour until visiting hours were over. She knew Gibbs was inside of the room, cause she saw his car outside.

So, that was two people who, in her mind, hated her guts right now.

…She had to do it. She couldn't back out now. Tim was her best friend. She needed to see him. She needed to talk to him. If he wouldn't talk, then he was at least going to listen.

Before she could change her mind she opened the door and walked into the room.

Tim looked over to see who was there. "Abby?"

"Hello, Timmy."

* * *

***Slight spoilers from last nights NCIS* Last night's NCIS was so good, in my opinion. Abby called McGee: McFrankenstein, Timothy, Timmy (which she hasn't done in a while), and honey! That was so cute! I loved it!**

**I have never put quotes in my stories, but I'm kind of a quote addict, so I was looking ones up about the dark and saw the one that I posted up top... It reminded me of the story (cause Tim's afraid of the dark) so I figured I'd put it up there :)**

**Anyway, let me know what you thought of chapter 22! Hope you enjoyed.**


	23. Those Green Eyes

Tim swallowed hard, "Hi… Abby."

Gibbs looked back at Abby, then to Tim, "I need coffee." He stood up, walked passed Abby, and left the room.

Abby didn't move, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alive… so, good."

That wasn't what she was expecting to hear, "Really?" She asked, before she even thought.

He nodded, "Really. I guess Gibbs didn't tell you that I _didn't_ try to kill myself... _again_?"

Her heart dropped. She told his secret when she had no reason to… She knew he must _really_ hate her, "No. He didn't… He's not exactly talking to me right now." She slowly walked over to the chair and sat down, "And, I can't blame you if you don't want to talk to me either."

Tim leaned his head back against his pillow and stared up at the ceiling, "You shouldn't have told him."

"Tim, I was terrified. I thought you had tried to kill yourself, again, and I thought that maybe if I would have told earlier then none of this would have happened… Why did you take the pills?"

"Couldn't sleep." Tim kept the answer short. He didn't feel like going into detail about it, again.

"I should have told sooner," Abby replied sadly.

He looked over at her, "What?"

"If I would have just told in the beginning, then you would have been getting the right help. You would be sleeping better and you wouldn't have needed to take the pills. You almost died, Timmy!"

"Yes, I know. I've been told." He rubbed his hands over his eyes, "You know I could be fired for this."

"For what?"

"I tried to commit suicide. Now everyone's gonna know, I'll have to go to all these psychologists, and therapy sessions. Then, if they don't think I'm _okay_, I could be suspended from my duties, or fired altogether."

Abby sighed, "You know Gibbs would never let that happen, Tim."

"It's not up to Gibbs. It's up to Vance," Tim looked back at the ceiling, "And God knows he's been in a crappy mood lately."

It was silent for a moment.

"Do you hate me?" Abby asked. She knew the question sounded childish, but she needed to know.

At first he didn't reply. He didn't even move. Then he slowly looked over at her. He stared in her eyes… her beautiful green eyes… he loved those eyes. He sighed, "I want to… but, no, I don't."

She couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face. Hearing that was such a relief. "Can I give you a hug then?"

Ugh! What was it about her that made him crumble? He should be so angry with her, but he just couldn't be… And he missed her hugs so much. _'Yes! Yes! Yes!'_ Is what he was thinking. He shrugged, "Why not?"

She leaped out of the chair and swung her arms around his neck, "I'm so glad you're okay, Timmy! I was so worried about you. I couldn't concentrate on work all day!"

He melted in her hug. It was so warm and friendly. He barely even heard what she was saying.

The sound of a throat clearing made them jump slightly. They both looked back at the door.

"Gibbs!" Abby said, putting on a smile, "I was just giving Timmy here a 'I'm glad you're not dead' hug."

"Should I go get more coffee?" He asked with his very, _very_ dry humor.

"No, Boss," Tim replied, "You're fine."

"I need to go anyway," Abby said. She turned back to Tim, "Bye, Timmy," She bent down and kissed his cheek.

He blushed and tried to hold back a smile, "Bye, Abbs."

She began to leave. "Bye, Gibbs," She said quietly as she walked passed him and out the door.

Gibbs looked at Tim, "I'll be right back."

Gibbs turned around and left out of the room, "Abby!" He called out to her. She was only a few steps away from him.

She quickly turned and looked at him, "Gibbs," She walked up to him, "…Is something wrong with Tim?"

He shook his head, "No… and I'm not mad at you. I don't like that you kept that information from me, but I understand."

She smiled, then wrapped her arms around him, "Thank you, El Magnifico!"

* * *

That night, Tim didn't allow for the doctor to give him anything in his IV to help him sleep. He said all it did was make it harder for him to wake from his nightmares. Plus, he didn't like the drowsy, drunk feeling it gave him.

So, that night, he was awake… all night. But, he wasn't alone. Gibbs stayed awake with him. Tim told him over and over that he could go home, but Gibbs would always reply with the same three words "Not gonna happen".

They sat silence mostly. Nothing really good came on TV at night so they were forced to watch an infomercial for a product that separates a boiled egg from its shell… because apparently just peeling them takes up too much time.

Gibbs looked at his watch. It was 3:30. He remembered the last time he tried to talk to Tim… He was in the coffin and things didn't go over too well. But, circumstances were different now, and he wanted to get to know his agent a little better.

"What're your parents like?"

To say Tim was surprised by the random question would have been a gigantic understatement. He slowly turned his head towards Gibbs' direction, "What?"

"Your parents. What are they like?"

"Um… Well, they are nice."

_'Nice, Tim? Seriously, that's all you can think of? He asked you a question and that's your reply?'_

"And?"

Tim cleared his throat, "My… My- Boss, why do you want to know?"

Gibbs shrugged, "I know about all about Tony, Ziva, and Abby's parents. I've met Tony's dad, Ziva's dad, and Abby's mom. I've never met, and rarely heard about, your parents. All I know is that your dad was in the Navy."

That seemed like a good enough answer for Tim. "Okay, well. My mom is very caring, and some would say… overprotective. When I would go out to ride my bike she wouldn't _just_ make me wear a helmet. I had to wear elbow pads, knee pads, which by the way made it hard to pedal…" He grimaced, "I even had to wear a butt pad."

Gibbs couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Needless to say, I was made fun of, a lot. Also needless to say, I rarely ever rode my bike."

"What about your dad?"

Tim took a deep breath, "He's a good man, but he's very set in his ways."

"What do you mean?" Gibbs asked when Tim stopped.

"My great-grandfather was in the Navy, then my grandfather, then my dad… So, he expected me to follow that pattern," He shook his head, "I'm pretty sure I broke his heart the first time I stepped on a boat and abruptly threw up my lunch… but, in my defense, I had no idea we were going on my dad's friends boat that day." Tim realized he was veering off subject, "Anyway, he was into sports and I was into computers. We never really clicked."

"You two aren't close?"

"I talk to him and stuff, we definitely aren't like Tony and his dad. I know he loves me, and I know he's proud of me, but I also know that he wishes I would have followed in his footsteps."

"How come you haven't called them?" Gibbs asked, then added, "I tried to find their number in your address book at work, but it wasn't there. They seem like the type that would be here if they knew what had happened."

"That's exactly why. My mom would be telling me how I should quit my job because it's too dangerous, and my dad would tell me that it never would have happened had I joined the Navy… They don't need to know."

Once again the room got quiet. That was enough talking for right now. Gibbs was glad that he got Tim to open up somewhat… but it also made him realize that out of everyone he worked with, he knew Tim the least… that, he didn't like.

* * *

Later in the day, after another test was ran to make sure there was no liver damage occurring, Tim was released.

"Ready to get out of here?" Abby asked as she helped him into his wheelchair.

"Most definitely."

"Let's go then. Gibbs should have the car pulled around by now."

Abby wheeled him down to the main floor, then outside where Gibbs was waiting.

Gibbs got out of the car and opened the passenger door.

"Need help?" Abby asked as Tim began to get up.

"No, thanks."

He felt dizzy as he stood and he almost fell over.

"Whoa!" Abby said as she grabbed onto his arm. Gibbs hurried to his other side and took his other arm.

"Sorry. Sorry." Tim said quickly.

"Should he be leaving, Gibbs?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, the doctor said he may be dizzy for a while."

"Looks like he was right," Tim added with a small laugh.

As they walked to the car, which was only a few steps, Gibbs thought about all the reasons _why_ Tim was dizzy. He still wasn't sleeping, he wasn't eating the right amount of food for his body, and he had a lot of anxiety… Now he knew for sure that his plan was the right one.

They got Tim inside and an orderly came out to take the wheelchair.

"I'll meet you there," Abby said to Gibbs as she walked off to her car. Gibbs nodded and got back into the drivers seat.

Gibbs drove out of the hospital parking lot and turned right.

Tim's eyebrows furrowed. He turned and looked at Gibbs, "My apartment is the other way, Gibbs."

"I know… We're not going to your apartment."

* * *

**And again, I am sick. Apparently my stomach hates me, and all I can eat are baked, mashed or boiled potatoes... I hate having a sensitive stomach! BLERG!**

**_shialuvr222_: For your prize, this chapter is dedicated to you, my friend. Thanks for being awesome! Only you will get this: Cheerio! ;)**

**To everyone, thank you, thank you, thank you. You are all the McGee to my Abby. You are my McAbby... Yeah, it's almost 1am as I write this, so I'm a little nuts right now.**

**Review please! :)**


	24. To Ducky's House We Go

"Wh- Where are we going?" Tim asked nervously.

"Ducky's house."

"Why?"

"Because, that's where you'll be staying for a while."

"Boss, I- I don't understand."

Gibbs sighed inwardly, "You don't need to be alone right now, McGee. Your apartment's too small for someone to stay with you."

"Abby stayed with me there."

Gibbs gave him a side glance, "Abby's not going to be pulling all the weight this time… and I do not want to sleep with you on your bed."

Tim snorted unintentionally. He recovered from the snort and once again became serious, "I'll be fine at home, Gibbs. I thought you said you believed me when I told you I _didn't_ try to commit suicide?"

"I do believe you, but that doesn't mean I think you should be alone. Ducky already has a room ready for you. We're all here to help, McGee."

Tim sighed, "I'm putting everyone through too much trouble."

"Am I going to have to slap your head again?"

Tim cleared his throat, "No, Boss."

"Good."

"But, I need to get my stuff…" His voice trailed off, "Abby already has my stuff," He figured out.

Gibbs nodded.

"That's why she came by the hospital. She had stopped at my apartment to get my stuff."

Again, Gibbs nodded, "You've got it."

Tim laid his head back and stared out the window. The rest of the ride was silent.

* * *

Abby had arrived just a few seconds before Gibbs and Tim. She was stepping out of her car as they pulled up.

She smiled and waved at them, then walked over.

"Hi again, Timmy," She said as she opened his car door. Gibbs got out of his side and went to Abby's car to get Tim's things.

"Hi, Abbs," He replied in a less than happy tone.

"Oh, Tim, I know what you're thinking, but don't worry. Ducky wanted to do this, he was the one that suggested it. And, do you really want to go home to an empty apartment right now?"

Tim sighed. _'Kind of, yes,'_ He thought to himself. "I guess not."

"Exactly. Now come on, I'll help you inside."

Abby held out her hand, and Tim took it as he stepped out of the car.

He closed the door behind him, and Abby wrapped her other arm around his arm. He looked over at her curiously.

"Extra support," She said, "You might get dizzy, remember?"

He smiled, "Mhm."

As they walked up to the house Tim tried not to think about how much he wished Abby held onto him like that regularly… he failed. That seemed to be _all_ he could think about as they made their way into the house. The way she held onto his arm was so comforting, and the fact she was also holding his hand didn't hurt matters any.

As they walked into the house, Ducky greeted them with a smile, "Hello, Timothy and Abigail."

"Hi, Ducky," They both replied.

"Timothy, Jethro is placing your things upstairs right now. You can go up and get situated after you eat some lunch, it's already fixed."

"Ducky, you really don't have to do all of this for me-"

Ducky waved him off, "Nonsense, dear lad! It will be nice to have some company." He turned and walked back to the kitchen, "Now join me for some lunch, all of you!"

It wasn't until then that Abby realized she was still holding onto Tim… Tim had never _stopped_ realizing, but there was no way he was going to end the moment.

Abby let go of Tim, then looked at him and smiled, "I told you he wanted to do this."

"I just don't want everyone thinking I'm weak, Abby," He whispered to her.

"Timmy, no one thinks that. You're one of the strongest people I know."

"Apparently you don't know many people," He mumbled as they walked into the kitchen.

Gibbs came down from upstairs and joined them as they ate turkey sandwiches, boiled potatoes and snow peas… It was an odd combination but Ducky promised it would be fantastic… and it was.

* * *

After lunch, Abby and Gibbs left to go back to work. Tim insisted on helping Ducky clean up.

"Why don't you go up and rest for a while?" Ducky said once everything was clean.

"I- I don't think I'll be able to sleep."

"You don't have to sleep. You can put your things away, and lie down. No sleeping necessary, for now."

Tim smiled, "Alright. I'll see ya later, Ducky."

"I will be in the study if you need me. Your room is the last door on the left."

"Okay."

Tim walked to the room and shut the door behind him. It was a cozy room, with a bathroom attached. Gibbs had placed Tim's suitcases on the bed, so Tim went over and opened one up. He smiled when he saw Bert the Hippo on top of his clothes, "Only Abby." There was a note lying beside it. He picked up Bert and the note 'Timmy, this is to help you smile when you need to. Love, Abby.' Tim read over the note a few times. He didn't really get it, but he could hear Abby saying it in his head.

He set Bert on the bed, along with the note, and began to unpack. Abby seemed to know exactly everything he would need. Once he was all unpacked he couldn't think of a single thing she had forgotten.

He placed the suitcases underneath the bed, then sat down on the edge of bed and sighed. He bent over with his elbows on his knees, and put his head in his hands. He was so tired of always being tired.

He kicked off his shoes and laid back on the bed. He picked up Bert and held him in his arms, just not tight enough for him to make his signature sound. He took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes, just to see how it would go.

_Trapped._

_Dark._

_Too quiet._

_Get out!_

_Get out!_

_Get out!_

He forced his eyes back open and, before he even realized it, tears were running down his face. He turned onto his side and let the tears fall… He hate crying, but he couldn't help it. He squeezed Bert tighter, and the loud noise erupted from him. Tim laughed as the tears fell… _Now_ he knew what Abby meant.

Tim stayed in that same position for two hours, never closing his eyes, tears always falling… and the memory of being trapped remaining all too clear in his mind.

* * *

**Okay, I'm pretty sure this story is nearing its last chapters. Probably three or four chapters left. **

**Thank you guys for making this my most reviewed, and most alerted story! That's awesome! **

**Let me know what you thought about the chapter. Not much happened, but it was one of those necessary chapters that you can't not have.**


	25. Confide

"Have you gone to see McGee yet?" Tony asked as he and Ziva walked from the parking lot, into NCIS.

"No, I have not had the chance, but I was thinking of going this evening."

"Yeah, I called Ducky this morning. He said he heard Tim walking around all night."

"I did not see how him staying at Ducky's place would help him sleep any easier."

Tony shrugged, "Moral support, I guess."

"Yes, I suppose so… Do you know anything about when or _if_ McGee will return to work?"

"No, but it will probably be when he starts sleeping through the night. You can't have a agent, on the field, falling asleep with his gun in his hand and his eyes wide open."

They entered NCIS and greeted the security guards, then made their way to the elevator.

"We can not somehow stop McGee's nightmares," Ziva said as they stepped into the elevator.

"What?"

"How are we really supposed to help, when every thing that is bothering him is in his head?"

Tony turned to her, becoming serious, "When you first got back from Somalia, did it help to know that your teammates were there for you? I mean, I know you weren't the biggest fan of me at the time, but just in general. And I don't mean _there_ as in talking you through everything and holding your hand… just being there."

Ziva nodded, "Yes, it did."

"That's how we can help."

The elevator doors opened and they walked to the bullpen. Ziva looked at him slyly, "And I thought _I_ was the one to give the good advice."

Tony smiled, "You never know what I'm gonna do."

* * *

"Good morning, Ducky," Tim said as he went into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Timothy. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I did."

Ducky turned around from fixing tea and stared at him.

Tim sighed, "Okay, no I didn't."

"It's better to tell the truth now, than to lie."

"I know, I know," Tim sat down at the kitchen table, "I just don't know what I'm gonna do, Ducky. How am I supposed to sleep when I can't close my eyes, and when I finally _do_ I have nightmares?"

"I'm afraid there is no easy answer for that," Ducky poured his tea then came and sat down across from Tim, "However, I think you should talk to someone. Tell them what happened, how you felt when you were trapped, how you feel now. You would be amazed at how much simply talking to someone can help."

"But, I really don't want to go to some therapist that's gonna have me on a time clock, write down everything I say, then give me some crappy advice."

Ducky smiled, "Not all therapists give "crappy" advice, Timothy."

"I know… I just don't feel comfortable talking to a stranger about it."

Ducky nodded then looked at his watch, "I'm afraid I must go. Duty calls. Help your self to anything you want. What is mine, is yours."

"Thanks, Ducky."

"You are welcome, Timothy."

* * *

A few hours later Gibbs was coming down to autopsy to get some information on a Marine that had been killed.

After Ducky gave him the cause of death, Gibbs began to leave.

"One moment, Jethro!" Ducky called out to him.

He turned back around, "Yeah, Duck?"

"Would you happen to know anything about Timothy and his job security?"

Gibbs looked at him for a moment, "Abby?"

Ducky nodded, "She has been wondering, but I believe Timothy is too, even if he hasn't said it directly to me."

"I don't know, Duck." No one outside of Abby, Tim, and Gibbs knew that Tim had tried to kill himself while he was in the box… and Gibbs saw no reason to inform anyone else, since Tim _hadn't_ tried to do it again. The last thing Tim needed was everyone at work staring at him. "I can't let him out on the field when he's not resting. He doesn't take lack of sleep too well."

"No, he does not… I feel he needs to speak with someone about his experience. Get it out in the open. However, he does not want to speak to a therapist."

Gibbs eyed Ducky for a moment, not sure why he was telling him this right now… Then he got it, "You want me to talk to him?... I'm not good with words, Duck."

"I agree... no offense intended of course. I just want you to get him_ to_ talk."

"I can do that," Gibbs replied, "That all, Duck?"

"Well, there is one other thing."

"What?"

"If Timothy doesn't want to see a therapist, or a psychologist… I think I have an idea, if you agree."

Gibbs shrugged, "Tell me."

* * *

Gibbs looked at his watch. It was almost six. Ducky would be home in an hour or so, and Ziva and Tony wouldn't be leaving work for at least another two hours. But here he was, standing at Ducky's front door. He knocked three times. No answer. Three more times. No answer. He knocked again, and was about to break the door down, when he heard someone running down the stairs.

"Sorry, sorry," Tim said as he opened the door without looking at who it was first. He was surprised, and slightly embarrassed, to see Gibbs standing there, "Oh… hi, Boss."

Gibbs nodded, "McGee. Can I come in?"

"Of course." Tim moved back so Gibbs could come inside. Then he closed the door behind him, "I thought you were Ducky. He forgot to take his house key. I was just getting out of the shower."

"I can see that," Gibbs replied as he looked at Tim's red and white flannel pajama pants and his old, and now _way_ too big, MIT t-shirt.

Gibbs had never seen Tim in pajamas before… and Tim would have preferred it to stay that way. He cleared his throat, "Do you want some coffee? We can go into the kitchen."

"Sounds good."

They went into the kitchen and Tim began to fix the coffee. Gibbs sat down and watched Tim, noticing that his hands were shaking. "What'd you do today?"

Tim shrugged, "Nothing really. I read a couple of books that were in Ducky's study."

"A couple? You read two books in less than twelve hours?"

"Well, I'd already read them before, so it was more like skimming than it was reading."

The coffee began brewing so Tim joined Gibbs at the table, "So, what are you _really_ here for?"

Gibbs grinned, "That obvious?"

"You're not the type to stop by just to hear about my day."

"Do you like your job, McGee?"

Tim was slightly thrown off by the question, but he didn't hesitate, "Yes, I do."

"You wanna continue working at NCIS?"

"Yes, but…" his voice trailed off.

"But what?"

Tim sighed, "When Vance finds out about what happened, when I was buried alive… he'll question my sanity. He'll want me to go to endless psychological exams, they'll be nitpicking at every word I say, and I'll be put on suspension until Vance sees me fit to work again… if he ever does." The coffee stopped so Tim got up to pour Gibbs some.

"What if Vance doesn't find out?"

Tim froze, then slowly turned back around, "What?"

"_If_ you'll agree to my terms, neither Vance, or anyone else, will never need to know."

"Are- Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding, McGee?"

Tim shook his head, "No."

"Then sit down and listen to me."

"Okay," Tim began to walk back to the table.

"_After_ you get my coffee," Gibbs added.

"Oh, right!"

Tim finished pouring the coffee then set it down beside Gibbs, "Okay, I'm listening."

Gibbs nodded, "No field work until you start sleeping. I can't risk having you or anyone else on the team getting hurt cause you aren't focused."

"I understand."

"If something becomes too difficult for you or if you need break, let any one of us know. We won't think you're weak. We understand better than you think we do."

Tim nodded, "Okay."

"And one last thing. I want you to talk to someone."

Tim sighed and went to speak, but Gibbs didn't allow it.

"I already set up an appointment, figuring you'd end up agreeing. This person is highly recommended."

"But, I don't think it'll help."

"I do. Give it a shot. If you don't, no work."

Tim sighed again, then thought for a moment, "Okay, fine. When's my first appointment?"

"Tomorrow morning at NCIS. Since you don't have your car just come with Ducky. He gets in at seven, and your appointment's at eight in the conference room."

"I'll be there."

* * *

The next morning Tim nervously walked up the NCIS stairs. His hands were shaking and sweating. He had only gotten two hours of sleep the night before. Exhaustion had taken over, forcing him into a nightmare filled sleep, until he was woken up by Ducky. After that, he couldn't go back to bed.

He had remained outside until it was time for his appointment. He really didn't feel like waiting in the lab or bullpen, he just wanted to be alone.

He was glad that the bullpen was empty as he walked by. He was much too nervous to put up with Tony's jokes.

Tim walked straight to the conference room. He reached out and held onto the door handle, hesitating to open it. _'You can do this. You can do this.'_ He repeated to himself. He took a few deep breaths, then turned the handle.

He opened the door and walked inside, then froze, shocked by who was waiting for him.

* * *

**Who's waiting for him? Anyone have a clue? Let me know your guesses :) **

**So, I said last chapter that there are only few chapters left, and that is still true... but, just a little added info: I am already working on my next story. It is Tim-centered (shocker, huh?), but it is quite different from anything I've done. It's still in the angst/drama/suspense kind of category, but it's different... We'll see how it goes when the time comes. Just wanted to let you guys know!**

**Now, if you review, I shall give you Abby hugs. Thank you!**


	26. Thank You

For a moment, Tim thought it was a joke, "Ziva?… What are you doing here?"

She smiled and stood up, "I am here for us to talk."

"Y-you are the person that Gibbs said is "highly recommended"?"

"That is very kind of him to say."

Tim walked over to the chair nearest to her and sat down. Ziva sat back down as well.

"I'm confused," Tim said.

"I will explain. Yesterday, Gibbs told me to follow him. We went into the elevator and he flipped the switch. I thought I was going to get into trouble for filling Tony's thong with hot sauce-"

Tim stopped her, "Wait! Thong?"

"Is that not what you call those containers," She started gesturing with her hands, "that keeps things hot or cold…"

"A _thermos_?"

"Yes! That is what I mean… Anyway, he told me that you needed someone to talk to. Someone who could listen, and understand… Ducky was the one who recommended me."

Tim sighed, "That's great! So what, everyone just goes around talking about me and my problems all day?"

Ziva nodded, "Yes, but it is only because we care."

Tim stood up, "This is really kind of you, Ziva, but I think I'm just gonna go-"

"If you leave, you will not be able to resume any of your work duties."

"I'll- I'll figure something out."

"You are not going to even give it a chance?"

Tim turned and headed for the door, "I'll see ya… sometime, Ziva."

"It was absolutely nothing like a vacation!" Ziva called out to him just as he was leaving the room.

He stopped, then slowly turned and walked back in, "What?"

"Before, you said that when I came back from Somalia it was like I went on a three month vacation. It was _nothing_ like a vacation," There was no anger in her voice as she spoke. She just wanted him to know.

"Ziva, I didn't mean-"

"No, I understand. I did and do not show my true emotions very often. I felt as though once I started back working, everything would just fall into place. That everything would automatically get better," She shrugged, "And some things did, but not everything."

Tim closed the door, then walked back over by her and sat down, "What do you mean?"

"I had nightmares all the time when I returned… sometimes I still have nightmares, just not as often. See, I figured that if I occupied my mind with other things, then I would forget what happened in Somalia. I would forget my father. I would forget it all."

"That's what I wanted to do," Tim replied sadly.

Ziva nodded, "I know… And that never works, McGee. What you need to understand is that being afraid, being sad, hurting on the inside, and sharing how you feel are not weaknesses. They are strengths. Feeling the need to keep everything bottled inside of you, keeping your problems to yourself, and thinking everything will heal on its own… _those_ are weaknesses."

Tim was silent for a moment as he thought. "N-nothing will leave this room?"

"Not a word."

Tim nodded, "Wh- Where do I start?"

"Where ever you feel most comfortable… Remember, Tim, I am a friend, not someone who just wants to probe your mind."

"...I- I can't close my eyes cause when I do I… I feel like I'm back there."

"In the box?"

"Yeah… I only sleep when it's not up to me. Only when I'm so exhausted that my eyes just won't stay open. Then, the nightmares start."

"Sometimes the nightmares are worse than the actual event."

Tim had no idea anyone else thought that way, "I know! Like, things that didn't even happen when I was buried, happen in the dream. I've almost drowned, I've slit my throat, I've begun to suffocate… I just… I want it to stop."

"I understand, McGee. I can't tell you the nightmares will ever completely stop. If they do, then I am not there yet. But, they do happen less often, and hopefully talking about it will make that happen sooner."

"I hope so, cause…" His voice trailed off.

"What, McGee?" She asked softly.

"I can't keep doing this."

Ziva took a deep breath, she reached over and put her hand on top of Tim's, "You will get through this, Tim. It will no doubt be difficult, and there is no fast route you can take for a quick recovery… but I, along with the rest of the team, will be here for you."

Tim smiled, "Thanks, Ziva."

"No thanks necessary, it is what friends do."

* * *

They talked for thirty more minutes, sometimes about what Tim was going through, and how he felt when he first woke up and realized he had been buried alive… and sometimes they talked about stuff that had nothing to do with that, just to break it up a bit.

Afterwards, Ziva returned to her desk and Tim went to find Gibbs.

Gibbs was outside, and based on the time, Tim estimated he was sipping on his fourth cup of coffee.

Tim quietly sat down beside him. For a moment neither of them spoke.

"Surprised?" Gibbs asked, breaking the silence.

"That would be an understatement."

"How'd it go… overall?"

Tim nodded, "Good."

"So, you gonna keep goin'?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee, "Good… Every Monday at 0800 hours, that's your appointment. Otherwise, it's up to you when you want to talk."

Tim nodded again, "Okay."

They sat in silence, staring out to the field in front of them.

"You can always come to me, Tim."

Tim looked over at him, surprised by what he had said, "What?"

"Me, Tony, all of us… I know I told you before, but I just wanted you to know. We're all here for you."

"Yeah, I'm figuring that out," Tim smiled, "I never realized just how much everyone on our team cared for each other, until now. I mean, before, when it was Tony, Ziva, Abby, Ducky, you, and even Jimmy in danger, I always figured that _that_ person knew we cared about them… but when you're the one needing the help, it's- it's a whole different feeling… Does that make any sense?"

"Yes, it does."

Tim took a deep breath, "I know I'm breaking one of the rules, but, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Tim shrugged, "For not speaking up before now. For trying to pretend like nothing was wrong, when _everything_ was wrong. For yelling at you. For overdosing. For… everything."

"No need to apologize. We've all kept things from each other at one time or another… we just never seem to realize it's easier to be honest right off the bat, cause eventually the truth comes out… Especially with the nosey people we have on our team."

Tim laughed, "That's very true."

Gibbs stood up, "I gotta get back inside. You stuck here for the rest of the day?"

"Uh, no. Abby wanted me to stop by and see her in the lab, then Ducky told me I could take his car back and pick him up tonight."

Gibbs nodded, "Okay, see ya later."

Gibbs began to walk off, but Tim stopped him.

"Gibbs!"

He turned around, "Yeah?"

"Thanks… for being there for me."

Gibbs patted his shoulder, "That's what family's for."

* * *

**This is now my longest story I've ever written. That being said, I think the next chapter will be the last :( ...I'm gonna miss writing this story, just like I miss writing Broken Angel (yes, still!), but I can't wait to start my next story and I hope you guys like it!**

** Question: Should I actually have McGee and Abby get together in one of my stories? Whatever answers I get will not officially decide for me, I just want to know... It's a curiosity thing.**

**Also, I can't believe how many of you correctly guessed Ziva! I thought everyone would say Ducky, but no one did. It was all Tony, Gibbs, or Ziva. You guys are too smart for me!**

**Thanks again for the reviews!**


	27. And Goodnight

_Two weeks later..._

"No, no, no. Please, help me! I want out!"

"Tim! Tim, wake up!" Abby exclaimed as she shook him. She stayed at Ducky's house every couple of nights, giving Ducky a break from having to get up and wake Tim.

"Help me!" He screamed.

"Tim, you're okay! Open your eyes!"

Tim's eyes popped open and he gasped. He sat up and began taking deep breaths.

Abby sat beside him and rubbed his back, "Bad one?"

Tim nodded and rubbed his eyes.

"I'll get you a wet washcloth," She said as she got up and went into the bathroom.

When she returned a few seconds later, she handed him the washcloth.

He wiped his face, both wiping off the sweat and cooling himself off.

"What time is it?" He asked.

Abby looked back at the clock, "A little after three… Are you gonna be able to go back to sleep?"

He shook his head, "I don't think so."

Abby hated seeing him like this. In the past two weeks he had become a lot more open about his feelings. He was no longer ashamed at telling the team how he felt. He and Ziva had their weekly meeting, but at one time or another he had talked to everyone on the team… even Jimmy. But he still wasn't sleeping well. He could now close his eyes without feeling like he was going to suffocate, most of the time, but every time he slept he ended up being woken up from another nightmare.

"You wanna talk about it?"

He looked over at her, "I had the… the knife to my throat and… and when I started t- to cut, a screen turned on above my head. It- it was you staring at me, begging me to stop, but… but it was too late. I had to watch you, watch me die."

Abby felt the tears stinging her eyes. She cleared her throat, "It's a good thing it was just a nightmare then."

He sat up straight and looked her dead in the eyes, the only light in the room coming from the lamp she turned on when he started to scream, "But it almost wasn't, Abbs."

She was confused, "What do you mean?"

"I really did almost kill myself when I was in that box… and you would have had to watch. I never told you before, but I am so, so sorry."

"You don't have to apologize to me, Timmy."

He nodded, "Yes, I do. I was ready to give up then, and I didn't think of the people I'd be hurting along the way. Thank you for not leaving the room that day."

A tear slipped down Abby's cheek. She leaned over and embraced Tim in the biggest hug she could give, which he gladly returned, "I love you, Timmy."

"I love you too, Abbs."

* * *

_2 months later…_

"It's simple, Ziva. I write the same amount of lines on the paper, as the amount of letters are in the word, or words, I'm thinking about. If you guess the right letter, I write it onto the blank. If you guess the wrong letter, I begin to draw a hanging man. Hence the name of the game, Hangman," Tony explained, "Now if your hangman gets fully drawn, you lose."

"That is a ridiculous, and very cruel, game."

"It's not like it's a _real_ man, Zee."

"Still, it is childish and inappropriate for work."

Tony threw his arms up, "Has that ever stopped us before?"

"Give it up, Tony," Tim said as he looked up from his computer screen, "She doesn't want to play."

"Fine!" Tony turned in his chair and held the paper towards Tim, "You guess then."

"Tony, I-"

"Come on, McAlphabetSoup, you know you want to."

Tim sighed and stared at the paper for a moment, "It's Knight Rider."

Tony's eyes widened. "Wha- you cheated!"

"How could I possibly do that when the answer is in your head?"

"Well… How'd you know the answer?"

"It's easy. You always pick Knight Rider."

Ziva attempted to hide her snort… it didn't work. Tony glared at her, then looked down at his paper, "I don't _always_ pick Knight Rider. Sometimes I pick Magnum, or Hitchcock, and occasionally Baywatch."

"The only thing you're going to be watching is our dead Marine's husband as you take his statement," Gibbs declared as he passed by on the way to his desk.

"Of course, Boss. I take it we've got a case?"

"Good job, DiNozzo. Come on, let's go!" He grabbed his gun and badge and headed for the elevators, Tony and Ziva close behind.

Tim sighed as he watched them go.

Within seconds of the elevator doors closing, they opened back up.

Gibbs stepped out, "You comin' or what, McGee?"

Tim quickly stood up, "I- I… I thought I was still on desk duty."

Gibbs took a few steps closer to the bullpen, "Abby told me you slept all through last night. You didn't even have a nightmare."

Tim nodded, "That- that's true."

"And you've even gone back to your own apartment?"

"Yes, Boss. Abby stays with me though…" Tim replied, then quickly added, "Just cause I don't think I'm ready to be alone yet."

Gibbs walked all the way up to Tim, "You're ready for this, McGee. It's time for you to get back in the field."

Tim took a deep breath. Gibbs turned and began walking back to the elevator, "If you're not in by the time the doors close, we'll leave without you!"

Tim practically jerked open his desk drawer, retrieved his gun and badge, and ran to the elevators.

The doors only had enough room for him to fit his fingers inside, keeping them from closing.

"Nice of you to finally join us, McGee," Gibbs said with a barely noticeable smile on his face.

Tim looked around at the small, cramped space inside the elevator.

"Are you getting in, Tim?" Ziva asked.

"Y- yeah." He looked down at the floor, as though he needed to actually see his feet moving. He slowly stepped inside and faced forward, closing his eyes as the doors closed. He expected to panic. He expected to feel like he was dying. He expected to freak out, begging for the doors to open… None of that happened. It was the exact opposite. He was calm, and not scared at all.

"You okay, Probster?" Tony asked as he put his hand on Tim's shoulder.

Tim opened his eyes and smiled slightly, "Yeah, I am."

* * *

**The End!**

**We made it! YAY! I hope you guys enjoyed the story, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for reading, alerting, and for all the reviews. You all will never know just how much it means to me.**

**I'm gonna start writing my next story soon. I already have about 12 chapters outlined, now I just gotta write it all out. **

**Anyway, thanks again! I hope to hear from you all on my next story.**

**God Bless!**


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